Singapore Zoo Singapore Zoo news 2007-2008

Too bad! I'd really love to see them and take pics for my website ... Do you think there's a way to do that??

 

Well, you could try to sneak into the off-exhibit holding area. Not easy though as it is located away from the main Zoo compound.

Otherwise, that area is entirely out of bounds to non-staff.

 

Jelle, as requested, more info on the new kids attraction at Singapore Zoo.

For now, the name Rainforest KidzWorld is being used for this project. Essentially it is a self-contained children's zoo. Key features:

Animal contact zone - Small mammals, domestic animals, small reptiles, invertebrates and birds will be used for supervised contact sessions.

Rides - Pony rides for kids; horse-carriage ride around the perimeter of the attraction for families.

Show - A new show targeted at kids, featuring domestic animals. From initial plans, dogs and cats adopted from local animal shelters will be involved in the show.

Obstacle course - A kids obstacle course set in a rainforest environment, with rope and water courses.

Water play area - In a rainforest setting as well.

Boat ride - as this attraction is located at the furthest end of the zoo, a boat ride from the entrance area will ferry visitors there. The boat ride is part of a larger, future development planned as a "river safari".

Of course typical touristy facilities like restaurants, shops and a carousel are included in this project as well. Expected to open in September 08. Not much of interest for true-blue zoo fans, but it is targeted as kids afterall, and they are the zoos' biggest target group.

 

Its never easy dealing with the Indonesian zoos. They have lots of fantastic species in their zoos, but it is really hard for foreign zoos to acquire them. And they are not averse to shady dealings with the black market...

 

Back to the topic..is the polar bear enclosure at the Singapore Zoo as bad as it looks on the youtube clips? It looks quite ugly, with the weird unnatural looking rock formation and the bear back and forth along the back wall of the exhibit.

 

Yeah pretty much. It is a remnant from the 80s. At least the pool is decent, barely though. Zoo officials are not gonna do a major upgrade as the bears will be phased out... eventually. The polar bear pair consists of a mother (30 years old) and son (16).

Originally it was planned that the male would be moved to a temperate facility once the female dies, but the Zoo's animal welfare and ethics committee reversed the idea. While the reversal is controversial, the members of the committee are not zoo staff but respectable figures from local nature, animal welfare and conservation circles.

 

Fine that the Committee are well respected individuals from among nature, animal welfare and conservation circles, but one can not explain to informed members of the public why 2 individuals of an endangered species with no current or future conservation perspective at Singapore Zoo should have to languish in the tropical heat, whereas they could be relocated to temperate climes and yet contribute their valuable genes to sustaining the captive population and ensuring a safe back up stock for wild polar bears? I find that really difficult to comprehend and/or explain, in particular if you are a serious conservation breeding institution like Singapore Zoo ....

 

Good point Jelle. The female is too old to breed, so moving her serves no captive breeding purpose. The young male is not being moved to provide companionship for the old female. The Zoo's director did say in passing that depending on when the female dies, they may consider moving the male. If he is too old to contribute to breeding by then, a move would serve no conservation purpose.

Very few zoos are willing to take in an adult male bear. The Zoo had put up the male for transfer to the international studbook holder (Rostock Zoo) in mid 2007, but apparently there were no takers.

 

If the young male's mother did die would Singapore zoo still keep a healthy breeding program? When i went there to visit my cousins my uncle said that singapore is a zoo that aquires animals and exports them to other zoos. Unlike some other zoos that i know of.
On the contrary is singapore zoo going to or did they ever? Have a breeding program for tigers? the three white tigers are siblings and plus Omar the male probably hasn't learnt how to mate because he never watched from his father- apparently.

 

Sorry but that is a the stupidest thing i have ever heard, ALL zoos import and export species, Interstate, and some even do it Globally! some do it less than other.
A zoo that doesnt would either be over run or have no species at all!

 

I'm sorry but maybe i didn't make myself clear that i actually meant that Singapore zoo is a massive pitstop. I know that zoos export globally but some zoos are a massive interchange. If you know what i mean, which you probably don't so i'm just gonna stop trying.

By the way you can keep bagging me if you what.

 

Thanks for the re write.Theres no need to get angry,

You just need to read over your posts and check for clarity, it would stop many misunderstandings on the forum.

Singapore Zoo has the resources to do such activities and good on them, Adelaide Zoo has also done this, Holding the Gorillas from Taronga to Europe and also a Siamang from Singapore to Orana.

 

Alright thanks, School has just been really stressing me out. But that's no excuse. 感谢，我将下次倾听。

 

The young male will be the last polar bear at the Zoo. After he dies or gets exported, no more polar bears will be imported.

Don't all zoos acquire some animals and export other animals? Do you mean to say Singapore is sort of a trading centre for zoos?

Singapore has a (presently dormant) breeding program for Malayan Tigers. The White Tigers are siblings like you said, and even if they weren't, there is no intention to breed them as they have no conservation value. Omar has tried mating with his sisters, but the females have been planted with contraceptives.

 

Singapore, while not a massive interchange, does move some small primates and reptile species quite frequently. Certain species of marmosets and tamarins were held in the zoo for short periods but were never on display and exported within a few months. My guess is that it was a pit-stop or quarantine stop.

 

It's a shame about the polar bears they had a great exhibit. I don't mean to be rude but isn't the white tiger gene only recessive in Bengal subspecies? If not so then White Malayan tigers would be amazing if they were bred.

 

There was this article, i can't remember though about that singapore zoo has a agreement with many zoos of the world they mentioned about the young elephant bull Sang Raja going to koln, Inuka the polar bear though he hsn't left and Palong the elephant bull that went to Rotterdam which is now unfortunately dead. Anyway on to the main point it said that singapore zoo is a like you said not a massive interchange but quite big to some extent that they are a a extremly succesful zoo when it comes to breeding. It also mentioned that San Diego zoo and Sydney's Taronga zoo are another two extremly successfull breeding pitstops.

just saying.

 

A lot of people would argue about the polar exhibit at Singapore. It is too small if you ask me, although not the worst polar bear exhibit I've seen.

Supposedly only Bengals have the recessive gene, but they have been cross-bred with Siberians to create hybrid whites if i'm not mistaken. I don't think cross-breeding of tigers (or any other species) should ever be suggested in zoos. it goes against every principle of conservation and captive animal management.

 

I've never seen a picture of a good exhibit at Singapore (I've never been so i could be wrong) but it just looks like an island with an altar like rock formation in the middle and a pool around the front edge.