I have started pulling together my thoughts and opinions of a number of collections visited on my travels. This was my first visit to Singapore Zoo a few years back Singapore Zoo Best Wishes, Peter
Nice review Peter! In your writing you certainly heap lavish praise upon the Singapore Zoo, while at the same time pointing out that many of the animal enclosures are a tad on the small side.
Enclosure size is always a subject of discussion. I still believe that quality of space wins every time over amount of space. True enough many of the Singapore enclosures are smaller than a lot I see but I don't think there was a single one I would have said was too small.
The jaguar, ocelot and cougar enclosures were pitiful, same with one of the pygmy hippo enclosures. Also, is the only elephant exhibit the tiny one that's on show or do they have others? If it's the only one then it's stupidly small IMO... However the rest of it was amazing, free range orangutans rule
When I went there - in 2002 - the novelty of a tropical zoo bowled me over somewhat but despite my excitement I found some things very disappointing such as the old sun bear exhibit and the cat - especially puma - enclosures. I won't start on the polar bear controversy... but it was an amazing place to visit.
Yeah, the cat enclosures are terribly small. Relics of the past that should have been demolished already. The elephants spend a couple of hours each day out of the enclosure (giving rides, at the bath pool or at private events around the zoo). They are also walked around the zoo daily when its closed. The breeding females get to go on occasional "excursions" to the Night Safari park to meet the resident stud.
how is the breeding at the moment? there hasn't been a birth in a while. Sang Raja, Wira and Sri Utama were pretty close together. I never got the chance to go to Night safari when I was there a week and a half ago unfotunately! And what is the case with Sang Wira he's 9 this year! I presume he's going to stay in night safari for quite a while longer? And Sri Utama? I've come to question is she alive? the two databases that I know have record of her say opposite things, one saying she is and one saying she isn't.
On this page, Moving Image and Sound Archives Singapore, you can read about Sri Utama's death in 1999.
Someone any idea how the new female Indian rhino is settling in? Has she been introduced or habituated to the resident male yet?
Mary has been on display for a few months, so I guess she's adapted well. But I'm not sure if she has been introduced to the male yet. All the rhinos will be moved later this year to new enclosures at another part of Night Safari. The area their present enclosures are located in will be redeveloped into River Safari.
