Singapore Zoo
Episode: Singapore Special
Presenter: Melissa King
Melissa never thought she would experience being within three feet of an orang-utan and its baby but Singapore Zoo invites you into the home of some of the most exotic animals in the world. It is all about getting up close and understanding the animals and their personalities in their natural habitat.
Let’s face it, no matter what your age, everyone loves going to the zoo and as far as zoos of the world go, Melissa thinks that Singapore Zoo rates as the most beautiful. There aren’t too many places where you can have breakfast with the animals, watch orang-utan’s swing from trees above your head and come face to face with a Sumatran Tiger.
Singapore Zoo is home to some 3000 mammals, birds and reptiles. It is the model of the modern zoo. As you wonder around it is easy to imagine you aren’t even in a zoo as there are no oppressive cages or wires around.
It is a bit like a resort for wildlife; the animals are all housed in open, fully landscaped enclosures and they are separated from the visitors only by a dry or wet moat so you really feel like you are in there with the animals.
The Fragile Forrest showcases animals from rainforests around the world with everything from the Tree Kangaroos of Papua New Guinea to Mouse Deer from South East Asia and South American Sloths and even those crazy little Lemurs from Madagascar. It really allows you to explore every facet of the eco system from the tiniest insects and tropical butterflies to exotic tree dwellers.
Exhibits like the Fragile Forrest really bring home that while rain forests cover just 6% of the earth’s surface they support more than 50% of animal species so they are the richest eco-systems in the world.
It is not just the animals on display, it is their habitats; the choice of plants in the environment mimic what the animals would experience in the real world so they feel right at home.
Zoo’s are always so rich botanically because they feature habitats from all over the world. So for gardeners they are a really good place to go to for inspiration. As far as tropical plants go, edible and ornamental then it is definitely the place to visit.
With over 60 different kinds of herbs, fruits, vegetables and spices, the tropical crops area is a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds. Just some of the crops include Papaya (Carica papaya), Long Beans (Vigna sesquipedalis), Ceylon Spinach (Basella alba), Nutemeg(Myristica frangrans), Smooth Loofah (Luffa aegyptiaca) and Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus).
Singapore Zoo has redefined what Melissa thinks of a Zoo as she really feels like she was invited into the animal’s homes. There really is no shortage of surprises and all of it is only a short drive from the city.
Singapore Zoo
80 Mandai Lake Road
Tel: (65) 6269 3411
http://www.zoo.com.sg
Opening times: 8:30am to 6:00pm daily
Presenter: Melissa King
Melissa never thought she would experience being within three feet of an orang-utan and its baby but Singapore Zoo invites you into the home of some of the most exotic animals in the world. It is all about getting up close and understanding the animals and their personalities in their natural habitat.
Let’s face it, no matter what your age, everyone loves going to the zoo and as far as zoos of the world go, Melissa thinks that Singapore Zoo rates as the most beautiful. There aren’t too many places where you can have breakfast with the animals, watch orang-utan’s swing from trees above your head and come face to face with a Sumatran Tiger.
Singapore Zoo is home to some 3000 mammals, birds and reptiles. It is the model of the modern zoo. As you wonder around it is easy to imagine you aren’t even in a zoo as there are no oppressive cages or wires around.
It is a bit like a resort for wildlife; the animals are all housed in open, fully landscaped enclosures and they are separated from the visitors only by a dry or wet moat so you really feel like you are in there with the animals.
The Fragile Forrest showcases animals from rainforests around the world with everything from the Tree Kangaroos of Papua New Guinea to Mouse Deer from South East Asia and South American Sloths and even those crazy little Lemurs from Madagascar. It really allows you to explore every facet of the eco system from the tiniest insects and tropical butterflies to exotic tree dwellers.
Exhibits like the Fragile Forrest really bring home that while rain forests cover just 6% of the earth’s surface they support more than 50% of animal species so they are the richest eco-systems in the world.
It is not just the animals on display, it is their habitats; the choice of plants in the environment mimic what the animals would experience in the real world so they feel right at home.
Zoo’s are always so rich botanically because they feature habitats from all over the world. So for gardeners they are a really good place to go to for inspiration. As far as tropical plants go, edible and ornamental then it is definitely the place to visit.
With over 60 different kinds of herbs, fruits, vegetables and spices, the tropical crops area is a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds. Just some of the crops include Papaya (Carica papaya), Long Beans (Vigna sesquipedalis), Ceylon Spinach (Basella alba), Nutemeg(Myristica frangrans), Smooth Loofah (Luffa aegyptiaca) and Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus).
Singapore Zoo has redefined what Melissa thinks of a Zoo as she really feels like she was invited into the animal’s homes. There really is no shortage of surprises and all of it is only a short drive from the city.
Singapore Zoo
80 Mandai Lake Road
Tel: (65) 6269 3411
http://www.zoo.com.sg
Opening times: 8:30am to 6:00pm daily
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