Singapore Zoo

The Singapore Zoo, located at 80 Mandai Lake Road, is also known as Mandai Zoo or Singapore Zoological Garden. Popular for its Night Safari attraction, the Zoo has a reaped a long list of awards, both local and international.

History
The late Dr Ong Swee Law, Chairman of Singapore's Public Utilities Board, was the founder of Singapore Zoo. During the 1960s, Ong realised young children were getting less familiar with ordinary domestic animals and that Singapore lacked places of attractions. With  S$9 million help from the government and six years of hard work, the Singapore Zoological Gardens finally opened its gates to guests on 27 June 1973.

Description
Singapore Zoo is recognised as the finest zoo in Asia and one of the world's most beautiful. Adopting an open concept, animals are kept in landscaped and spacious environment while separated from their curious audience by wet or dry moats. Heavily camouflaging the zoo environment to match the natural habitat of the different animals helps not only to stimulate the animals but increase visitors' appreciation of wildlife as well.

Awards
The string of awards bagged by the Singapore Zoo attests to its splendid inhabitants and services:
2002 : Asean Tourism Association (ASEANTA) Awards for Excellence: Best New Attraction in ASEAN (Singapore Zoo for Hamadryas Baboons - The Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia).
2001 : STB (Singapore Toursim Board) Tourism Awards: Leisure Attraction of the Year 2001 (Singapore Zoo).
2001 : Singapore Totalisator Board Excellence for Singapore Award: Internationally acclaimed "open zoo" design and excellent in-situ conservation achievement.
2000 : Where Singapore magazine's Concierge Choice Awards: Best Place to Take the Kids.
1999 : IMA (Incentive & Meetings Asia) Awards: Best Theme Attraction.

The success of the Singapore Zoo owes significantly to Bernard Harisson, former CEO of Wildlife Reserves of Singapore which runs the zoo. Harisson, who was the face of the Singapore Zoo for many years, gave 29 years of his life to the zoo, inspiring not only the animals but the staff of the zoo as well. He was behind the open-zoo concept and the Night Safari.

Attractions
Night Safari
It is the world's first night wildlife park, started on 26 May 1994. Covering 40 ha of dense secondary forest, it is divided into East and West Loops. It offers a nocturnal experience with over 1,000 animals of 100 species, tapping on dim light technique for visibility.

Night safari is a popular quiet and wholesome night entertainment, attracting possibly every visitor to Singapore. Its novelty has not worn off despite having been around for more than a decade. On its own, it has reaped four awards, both local and international including being a Gold winner in IFEA Pinnacle Award 2001 for having wild dining on-board a moving tram. It is officially known as Gourmet Safari Express in Night Safari.

Children's World
Created in 1973, it consists of Play Land and Animal Land. There is a miniature train ride that links both lands together. Animal Land allows children to have real life experiences with domesticated animals such as chickens, sheep and rabbits. Play Land provides conventional play equipments. The Children's World in the Singapore Zoo was voted the Best Place to Take the Kids in the Where Singapore magazine's Inaugural Concierge Choice Awards 1999.

Address
80 Mandai Lake Road
Singapore 729826

Variant names
Mandai Zoo
Singapore Zoological Gardens



Author
Nor-Afidah Abd Rahman



References
Sharp, I. (1994). The first 21 years: The Singapore Zoological Gardens story. Singapore: Singapore Zoological Gardens
(Call no.: RSING 590.7445957 SHA)

Teo, G. (2002, December 23). Ex-zoo chief still follows his animal instincts. The Straits Times.

Singapore Zoological Gardens. (2002). Welcome to Night Safari. Retrieved March 10, 2004, from www.nightsafari.com.sg

Singapore Zoological Gardens. (2002). Welcome to Singapore Zoological Gardens. Retrieved March 10, 2004, from www.zoo.com.sg/