FOSSA ARE COMING TO SOUTHEAST ASIA!!! Sorry, it's just exciting news for me - there'll now be fossa (my #1 most wanted-to-see species) in my extended neighborhood.
A good example how different views can be about "special/extraordinary" animal species in zoos. While one is flipping out about fossas, others would give their right arm for having Assamese pygmy hogs (again), marmor cats (right, @Arizona Docent?) or hog badgers in their hometown zoo.
Of course, 100% agreed. And then there's the vast majority of zoo goers for whom all four of our listed species here would fall on a sliding scale of irrelevance vis-a-vis the generic giraffe I do think we can all agree, though, that pygmy hogs should have an objective place very, very high at the top of the list of species to develop a viable offshore population from the ex-situ stock in captivity in Assam. Conservation value can be the uniting factor for our disparate views!
Yes objectively I fully support having pygmy hogs at the site. But subjectively it would not cause me to go there (even if I was in the area for other reasons) whereas @zoomaniac is one hundred percent correct: marbled cat would send me rushing to Expedia to look for flights to Asia.
And yet you've still not bought flights to Bangladesh despite having known for over a year that there's a Marbled Cat in a zoo there... Marbled Cats in Zoos
Yes but I have seen the enclosure in videos and it is somewhat lacking (quality of setting for photos is important to me). Plus (at the risk of sounding like a snob and offending an entire nation) I am at an age now where I enjoy certain basic amenities and upscale Singapore is more to my tastes than Bangladesh. That is why I love going to Europe, speaking of which I have just booked my trip for February and it looks like @zoomaniac and I (and maybe @lintworm ?) will be dining together again.
Unfortunately for you it seems more likely I will be dining with @Chlidonias in February.... But as you know @zoomaniac is also excellent company.
Rainforest Park (North) will begin main construction works soon, with opening targeted for 2021. From the plans I've seen, which might still be subject to change, it will focus very heavily on adventure elements, with rope courses, suspension bridges, rock climbing and caving experiences (man-made rock walls/caves). Animals expected to be featured include orang utans, tigers, Malayan tapirs, babirusa, anoa and other bird/small mammal species suitable for walk-thru multi-species enclosures - there will be 2 large enclosures. There will also be a number of terrarium displays for herptiles and invertebrates. There will be species new to WRS, but these are under wraps for now.
Singapore eco-tourism plan sparks squawks of protest https://www.nst.com.my/world/2019/01/448774/singapore-eco-tourism-plan-sparks-squawks-protest?fbclid=IwAR3xWZatsaCxQWGl-xSr-a0iYW_ZHXsL5E5OhkvMbiHaWITLd53nlUjy71E
Indeed a small but vocal group of environmentalists have been raising their objections to the Mandai project. There have been several roadkills (involving 1 pangolin, 1 leopard cat, 1 wild boar and 1 sambar) in the vicinity of the worksite which has been blamed on construction works. Truth is, such roadkills have been occuring well before the Mandai project started, and is part of a larger, complex issue of disconnected forest areas, an overpopulation of sambar and boar due to a lack of natural predators, and drivers' ignorance towards wildlife crossings (a relatively recent concept in Singapore). Also, the site of the Mandai project has always been earmarked for leisure development and was never meant to be preserved as a nature reserve. The Mandai project has unfortunately become a high profile and easy target for the environmentalists to vent their displeasure at the authorities. The most intense period of construction is ongoing at the moment (piling and foundation works), and it does look quite bleak as you travel along the road towards the Singapore Zoo. But once the mess is cleared up and greenery is restored, the colugos, pangolins and other natives will return to the area, and safely too with a new wildlife crossing bridge.
Hi, eveyone, super looking forward to the New WRS expansions. Hopefully there will be similar membership price and package to visit all the attractions. That will be super Cool.
Hi, all the animal lover friends, regarding the WRS Mandai exansion plan, this is the update the construction. I had this video to share with all the you guys and ladies.
Note for other viewers: only the first minute of the video is important for zoo purposes; the last 8.5 minutes is literally just tracking along the road showing where the eco-bridge will be constructed.
Thanks Childonias for highlights this video information, how you think of this new WRS expansions project? Are you looking forward also? Hope to had your important view also.
Actually it's more than just the eco link. The first stretch of road shown is where the West Arrival plaza deck (connecting the entrances of Rainforest Park North and the Bird Park) will be built over the road. On the left is the site of Rainforest Park North, and the right is the Bird Park. But these sites aren't quite visable from the road. The eco link site is much farther down the road.
Zooish, you are very knowledgeable. I just love to share what I know and what I have to all the animal lover friends. I hope everyone can share over here too. Sharing is caring.
