The Singapore Zoo (formerly known as the Singapore Zoological Gardens) was opened in 1973 with a modest collection of about 300 animals from some 70 species. Situated on the promontory of the Seletar Reservoir, the zoo adopts an “open concept” in which the animals ...
For about a week in early June 1990, Singaporeans were captivated by media reports of runaway elephants on Pulau Tekong. This was reportedly the first time in recent history that elephants had swum across the Johor Straits to Tekong, an island used by the Singapore ...
The white-collared kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) is one of eight documented species of kingfishers in Singapore. It is commonly spotted in mangrove and coastal areas, gardens and parks. This kingfisher species was featured on the Bird Series S$10 currency ...
Located at the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) was formerly known as Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR). Serving as a biodiversity museum, it houses the Zoological Reference Collection – which ...
The blue-throated bee-eater (Merops viridis) is a bird with blue, green and brown plumage. It is one of two bee-eater species found in Singapore.
The olive-backed sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis) is one of Singapore’s resident birds. In 2002, it was one of five birds shortlisted by the Nature Society (Singapore) in an unofficial campaign to select Singapore’s national bird. The olive-backed sunbird is featured ...
The Sunda pangolin (scientific name: Manis javanica) is a scaly anteater that is found in Singapore and various other parts of Southeast Asia. It is a land mammal but has often been mistaken to be a reptile because of its scale-covered body. A shy and solitary ...
The black-naped oriole (Oriolus chinensis) is a bird from the oriole family. It has yellow-and-black plumage and is found in many parts of Asia. It is one of the most common bird species in Singapore.
The Sunda Slow Loris (scientific name: Nycticebus coucang) is a small monkey-like primate found in Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia. It is one of several species of slow lorises, all of which are found in Asia. Slow lorises are among the few mammals ...
Bats belong to an order of mammals known as Chiroptera, a term that comes from the Greek words cheiro (“hand”) and ptera (“wing”), aptly describing their most distinctive feature. There are about 1,100 species of bats in the world and 30 have been documented in ...
The robber crab (Birgus latro) is the largest of the various crab species found on Christmas Island. Able to climb trees, the crabs only return to water during breeding season to lay eggs. However, the most notorious crab species is the red crab (Gecarcoidea natalis), ...
The Singapura cat a.k.a. Kucinta (Kuchinta) is regarded as Singapore's Tourism Board's mascot, although claims of it having originated from Singapore remain questionable. The Cat Fanciers Association in the US gave the Singapura cat pedigree status in 1988.
The Night Safari is the world’s first night zoo that allows visitors to observe nocturnal animals in a natural habitat. Designed to be experienced at night, the Night Safari is radically different from the typical zoo and nocturnal house. The idea of a night zoo ...
The Brahminy kite (Haliastur indus) is a medium-sized raptor or bird of prey. Nicknamed the “Singapore Bald Eagle”, it is one of the commonest raptors in Singapore, and is frequently seen in flight over urban areas and suitable sites such as Jurong Lake. Large ...
The Leopard cat is a small, carnivorous mammal that looks like a domestic cat with a leopard-like coat. It is widely distributed in various parts of Asia but is considered a rare animal in Singapore, where it is believed to be the only remaining wild cat. It is ...
First mooted by the Director of Fisheries in 1950, the Marine Fisheries Research Department (MFRD) was established in 1969. It was located at Changi Fisheries Complex at Changi Point before moving to Lim Chu Kang Agri-Bio Park in 1999. It is currently situated ...
The red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) is one of four Asian species in the genus Gallus. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic chicken. Previously an endangered species, today the red junglefowl is commonly sighted across Singapore, in areas such as Tanjong Pagar, ...
Mousedeer form the Tragulidae family of small, even-toed ungulates in the mammalia order Artiodactyla. Other artiodactyl families include deer, pigs and cattle. Two mousedeer species exist in Singapore: the lesser mousedeer (Tragulus kanchil) and the greater mousedeer ...
The white-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) is reputed to be Singapore’s largest common raptor or bird of prey, with a body length of 60 to 70 cm and a wing span of about 2 m. It is usually seen soaring above reservoirs and forested areas, or near sea ...
The Dugong is a large marine mammal that belongs to the same mammalian order as manatees. The species in this order, known as Sirenia, are sometimes called sea cows and are thought to have evolved from an ancestor related to elephants. Found in the Indo-West Pacific ...