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Straits Times
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Special offers, attractions at the zoo as Mandai Wildlife Group celebrates SG60
The offers are launched under Mandai Is Wild About SG initiative, and will be available from June. PHOTOS: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP SINGAPORE - Local residents can look forward to a slew of offers and interactive experiences at the Singapore Zoo and other attractions at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, as part of Mandai Wildlife Group's SG60 celebrations. The group will roll out a series of offers under the Mandai Is Wild About SG initiative. As part of the SG60 WildPass Specials offer, local residents can purchase two admission tickets to the Singapore Zoo or River Wonders for $60 – down from $98 – from now until June 30. For the same price, local residents aged 13 to 21 can buy three tickets to any Mandai Wildlife Reserve park. The offer is available from now until Aug 31. Local residents with a valid admission ticket to any wildlife park at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve can also purchase a Friend of Rainforest Wild Asia individual membership at $60 from May 31 until Aug 31. As part of the ongoing SG60 Senior Promo offer, senior residents – those aged 60 and above – can continue to enjoy the annual Friends of Mandai five-park membership at a special rate of $60 , down from $235, until Aug 31. From June 7 , all visitors can enjoy 20-minute close encounters with capybaras at River Wonders, as well as fennec foxes and ring-tailed lemurs at the Singapore Zoo – part of the Hello From The Wild experience. A wallaby edition of the Hello From The Wild experience will be launched at the Night Safari later in 2025, said Mandai Wildlife Group. Bird Paradise will give visitors the opportunity to meet the king, gentoo and northern rockhopper penguins in their chilly off-exhibit facility as part of the Backstage Pass: Penguin Encounters experience. And from July 18 , the Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove will offer a virtual reality film adventure where visitors can immerse themselves in the world of penguins. From May 31 until Aug 10 , visitors can also enjoy complimentary access to curated digital itineraries during their visit, including the Born To Be Wild digital trail. They can get a limited-edition SG60 memento upon completing the trail. More programmes and promotions under the group's Mandai Is Wild About SG initiative will be offered throughout 2025, added Mandai Wildlife Group. 'The Mandai Wildlife Reserve has been woven into Singapore's story for over six decades – from school excursions and weekend family outings to first dates,' said Ms Belinda Lee, the group's deputy chief executive for transformation and growth. 'With Mandai Is Wild About SG, we invite local residents to reconnect with our destination through newly launched experiences and special offerings.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
New Paper
30-04-2025
- New Paper
Bird Paradise celebrates historic first hatching of endangered kagu chick
In a rare and remarkable breakthrough for avian conservation in Singapore, Bird Paradise has successfully hatched its first-ever kagu chick, marking a historic milestone in the care and breeding of one of the world's most elusive birds. In a media release on April 30, Mandai Wildlife Group, which oversees the operations of Bird Paradise, said the chick hatched on March 1 after 25 days of artificial incubation. It is currently being hand-raised at the park's Breeding and Research Centre. The kagu is a flightless bird native to the dense forests of New Caledonia, a French territory located in the south-western Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and west of Vanuatu. It is generally regarded as elusive, preferring to remain hidden in dense, humid forests. "Welcoming our first kagu chick has been incredibly special for the team," said Ms Anais Tritto, assistant vice-president of animal care at Mandai Wildlife Group. "After several unsuccessful incubation attempts by the parent birds, we stepped in to artificially incubate the egg, carefully controlling the temperature and humidity to replicate natural nesting conditions as closely as possible to support healthy development," she said. The chick's weight being recorded on Day 12. PHOTO: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP Ms Tritto added that for a species as rare and challenging to breed in managed care, every successful hatching represents both a scientific achievement and a source of hope. The adult kagu is easily recognisable by its bluish-grey feathers, bright orange beak and legs, and a striking crest that it displays during courtship and territorial rituals. The chick's parents arrived at Bird Paradise from Yokohama Zoo in November 2023. PHOTO: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP With an estimated wild population of just 500 to 1,000 individuals, the kagu is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Breeding the species in captivity is notoriously difficult, said Mandai Wildlife Group. Kagus have a low reproductive rate, typically laying only one egg a year. They are monogamous and require strong pair bonds, reinforced by elaborate courtship displays such as crest-raising, wing-spreading, and vocal duets. Compounding the challenge, their shy nature and sensitivity to environmental factors make successful incubation and chick-rearing particularly delicate under human care. In 2024, the chick's genetically matched parents - a pair from Yokohama Zoo that arrived at Bird Paradise in 2023 - laid two eggs in separate nesting attempts, both of which failed to hatch. These setbacks were likely due to parental inexperience or unsuitable environmental conditions. Learning from these experiences, keepers transferred a third egg to a hatcher to maximise its chances of survival, Mandai Wildlife Group explained. Since hatching at just 36g, the chick has grown steadily and now weighs 630g - well on its way to the adult weight of around 1kg. PHOTO: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP Since hatching at just 36g, the chick has grown steadily and now weighs 630g - well on its way to the adult weight of around 1kg. Keepers have had to adapt their care methods to accommodate the chick's unique needs, including finding appropriate dietary substitutes, modifying nesting equipment and creating a comfortable environment. A cardboard box was placed in its brooder to mimic a safe hiding space and a plush toy was introduced to offer comfort in place of its parents. Keepers have had to adapt their care methods to accommodate the chick's unique needs, including modifying nesting equipment and creating a comfortable environment. PHOTO: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP The chick is now transitioning to an adult diet of prawns, mice and live insects. Its daily routine includes morning sun sessions for natural vitamin D and regular weigh-ins to monitor its growth. Later in 2025, once it gains independence, it will move to an aviary at the Winged Sanctuary exhibit. Because male and female kagus are visually identical, DNA testing will be conducted to determine the chick's sex once it matures. As part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria's Ex-situ Programme, the kagu breeding initiative at Bird Paradise contributes to the global effort to preserve the species through managed care and genetic diversity.
Straits Times
30-04-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Bird Paradise celebrates historic first hatching of endangered kagu chick
SINGAPORE - In a rare and remarkable breakthrough for avian conservation in Singapore, Bird Paradise has successfully hatched its first-ever kagu chick, marking a historic milestone in the care and breeding of one of the world's mos t elusive birds. In a media release on April 30, Mandai Wildlife Group, which oversees the operations of Bird Paradise, said the chick hatched on March 1 after 25 days of artific ial incubation. It is currently being hand-raised at the park's Br eeding and Rese arch Centre. The kagu is a flightless bird native to the dense forests of New Caledonia, a French territory located in the south-western Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and west of Vanuatu. It is generally regarded as elusive, preferring to remain hidden in dense, humid forests. 'Welcoming our first kagu chick has been incredibly special for the team,' said Ms Anais Tritto, assistant vice-president of animal care at Mandai Wildlife Group. 'After several unsuccessful incubation attempts by the parent birds, we stepped in to artificially incubate the egg, carefully controlling the temperature and humidity to replicate natural nesting conditions as closely as possible to support healthy development,' she said. The chick's weight being recorded on Day 12. PHOTO: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP Ms Tritto added that for a species as rare and challenging to breed in managed care, every successful hatching represents both a scientific achievement and a source of hope. The adult kagu is easily recognisable by its bluish-grey feather s, bright orange beak and legs, and a striking crest that it displays during courtship and territorial rituals. The chick's parents arrived at Bird Paradise from Yokohama Zoo in November 2023. PHOTO: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP With an estimated wild population of just 500 to 1,000 individuals, the kagu is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Breeding the species in captivity is notoriously difficult, said M andai Wildlife Group. Kagus h ave a low reproductive rate, typically laying only one egg a year. They are monogamous and require strong pair bonds, reinforced by elaborate courtship displays such as crest-raising, wing-spreading, and vocal duets. Compounding the challenge, their shy nature and sensitivity to environmental factors make successful incubation and chick-rearing particularly delicate under human care. In 2024, the chick's genetically matched parents – a pair from Y okohama Zoo that arrived at Bird Paradise in 2023 – laid two eggs in separate nesting attempts, both of which failed to hatch. These setbacks were likely due to parental inexperience or unsuitable environmental conditions. Learning from these experiences, keepers transferred a third egg to a hatcher to maximise its chances of survival, Mandai Wildlife Group explained. Since hatching at just 36g, the chick has grown steadily and now weighs 630g – well on its way to the adult weight of around 1kg. PHOTO: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP Since hatching at just 36g , the chick has grown steadily and now weighs 630g – well on its way to the adult weight of around 1kg. Keepers have had to adapt their care methods to accommodate the chick's unique needs, including finding appropriate dietary substitutes, modifying nesting equipment and creating a comfortable environment. A cardboard box was placed in its brooder to mimic a safe hiding space and a plush toy was introduced to offer comfort in place of its parents. Keepers have had to adapt their care methods to accommodate the chick's unique needs, including modifying nesting equipment and creating a comfortable environment. PHOTO: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP The chick is now transitioning to an adult diet of prawns, mice and live insects. Its daily routine includes morning sun sessions for natural vitamin D and regular weigh-ins to monitor its growth. Later in 2025, once it gains independence, it will move to an aviary at the Winged Sanctuary exhibit. Because male and female kagus are visually identical, DNA testing will be conducted to determine the chick's sex once it matures. As part of th e Europe an Association of Zoos and Aquaria's Ex-situ Programme, the kagu breeding initiative at Bird Paradise contributes to the global effort to preserve the species through managed care and genetic diversity. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
