Wildlife enthusiasts can soon enjoy new experiences and observe more animal species in immersive, naturalistic habitats at the Night Safari and Singapore Zoo in Mandai Wildlife Reserve.
The former will be celebrating its 30th anniversary at Singapore’s only nocturnal animal park with the unveiling of its first fully sheltered Pangolin Trail accessible right from the park’s entrance. The exact launch date is yet to be revealed so watch this space.
In the meantime, this is what visitors can expect. Those who ply the 280-metre-long route (instead of hopping straight onto the tram) will be duly rewarded as they pass by more than a dozen animal species, including cute nocturnal creatures like the slow loris, spotted giant flying squirrel, oriental small-clawed otter and notably, the Sunda pangolin.
The housing of the elusive pangolin has been a point of pride for the park, as it was the first zoological facility in the world to successfully care for, and breed, the critically endangered species.
The Night Safari will also feature a new bull elephant exhibit housing its celebrated animal icon, Chawang, complete with a look-out deck and “stable grazer” releasing hay at random intervals to help visitors get a better look at the magnificent beast.
Speaking of new exhibits, the Singapore Zoo also announced exciting new developments further along the horizon. Come 2027, the zoological park will be showcasing a new two-level underwater-viewing habitat integrated with a restaurant on the lower level and a bistro above.
Visitors will be able to observe Californian sea lions, African penguins and for the first time here, harbour seals, either basking in the marine coastal habitat or swimming gracefully underwater, depending on where they’ve stopped for a snack break.
When it opens, the upper floor outside the bistro will be the venue for the Zoo’s signature dining programme, Breakfast in the Wild, where diners will be able to learn about orangutans from zookeepers even as they observe the majestic species climbing in the treeline above. There will also be a new banquet hall with almost 400 seats for curated large-group animal experiences.
For more information and the latest updates, visit www.mandai.com.
All photos courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group.
