Singapore Zoo From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Coordinates: 1°24′15.9″N 103°47′28.1″E / 1.404417°N 103.791139°E /

Singapore Zoo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Coordinates: 1°24′15.9″N 103°47′28.1″E / 1.404417°N 103.791139°E / 1.404417; 103.791139
Singapore Zoo Singapore Zoo.JPG
Entrance to Singapore Zoo
Date opened 23 June 1973
Location Singapore
Land area 28 hectares
Number of animals 2530
Number of species 315
Website http://www.zoo.com.sg/

The Singapore Zoo (Chinese: 新加坡动物园; pinyin: Xīnjiāpō Dòngwùyuán; Malay: 'Taman Haiwan Singapura'; Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர் விலங்குக் காட்சிச்சாலை), formerly known as the Singapore Zoological Gardens and commonly known locally as the Mandai Zoo, occupies 28 hectares (0.28 km²) of land on the margins of Upper Seletar Reservoir within Singapore's heavily forested central catchment area. The zoo was built at a cost of S$9m granted by the government of Singapore and opened on 23 June 1973. It is operated by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, who also manage the neighbouring Night Safari and the Jurong BirdPark. There are about 315 species of animal in the zoo, of which some 16% are considered threatened species. The zoo attracts about 1.4 million visitors a year.[1]

From the beginning, Singapore Zoo followed the modern trend of displaying animals in naturalistic, 'open' exhibits, i.e. with hidden barriers, behind moats and shrubbery etc. It also houses the largest captive colony of orangutans in the world. In 1977, primatologist Dr Francine Neago lived inside a cage with eighteen orangutans for six months to study their behavior and communication