Birth spike as 970 baby animals born in 2023 at the Singapore Zoo, Bird Paradise, Night Safari and River Wonders, highest number in a decade
Of the 128 species, 29 are classified as threatened, and 19 are included in internationally managed breeding programmes.
Ronald Goh
Updated Wed, March 20, 2024, 3:23 PM GMT+85-min read
A young De Brazza’s monkey clinging to mother (left) and Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo joey 'Susu' eating rock melon snack at the Singapore Zoo (Photos: Mandai Wildlife Group)More
SINGAPORE — Singapore's four main wildlife parks saw a baby boom with 970 births across 128 species in 2023. This is the highest number of babies the Singapore Zoo, Bird Paradise, Night Safari, and River Wonders have collectively produced since 2013, Mandai Wildlife Group said in a media release on Wednesday (20 March).
Among the new additions, 29 species are listed as threatened under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. These include the the extremely rare red ruffed lemur, douc langur, Celebes crested macaque and Roti snake-necked turtle.
Meanwhile, 19 species are part of internationally managed breeding programmes such as the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria’s (EAZA) Ex-Situ Programme, Mandai said.
Singapore Zoo's new and special births
Last year, the Singapore Zoo had several "unprecedented hatchings" for reptiles and amphibians. Among them were the first purebred green and black poison dart frogs to hatch here, along with the first Roti snake-necked turtle hatchling.Meanwhile, last January saw the birth of Adi, the fourth infant born to the zoo's 18-year-old female Celebes crested macaque, Dewi.
Found only in North Sulawesi in Indonesia, fewer than 6,000 macaques are left in fragmented habitats today, making it among the world’s 25 most endangered primates.
If you're wondering why you might find the Celebes crested macaque familiar, it's likely because it is also the species involved in the the viral monkey selfie incident.
Celebes crested macaque, Dewi, carrying her infant protectively as she eats a snack at the Singapore Zoo (Photo: Mandai Wildlife Group)
In February 2023, a pair of male red ruffed lemurs were born to Bosco and Minnie, second-time parents endorsed for breeding by EAZA’s Ex-Situ Programme.
The young lemurs currently weigh about 2.6kg and enjoy eating grapes, residing in Gibbon Island alongside their parents and older twin siblings.
Red ruffed lemurs are critically endangered, and face threats like illegal hunting, pet trading and habitat loss. Reproduction is difficult, as they breed only once a year, and females lemurs are fertile for only one out of the few days they are sexually receptive.
Screenshot of young red ruffed lemurs at Singapore Zoo's Gibbon Island on video (Photo: Mandai Wildlife Group)
Meanwhile, the zoo's Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo couple, Makaia and Nupela, welcomed their second joey 'Susu'. The name means “milk” in Tok Pisin, a Papua New Guinean language, and coincidentally, in Malay.
"Born the size of a jellybean in April, Susu has since outgrown his mother’s pouch, and just like her, is a fussy eater," said Mandai.
Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo 'Susu' peeking out of mother's pouch (left) and 'Susu' with mother (Photo: Mandai Wildlife Group)
The African painted dogs at the zoo also birthed a litter of eight puppies in September. At six months old, the new pups weigh 11kg, and are approximately half the size of the adults, and spend playtime on branches, the zoo said.
New chicks at Bird Paradise
Bird Paradise's first Madagascar crested ibis chick (Photo: Mandai Wildlife Group)
Bird Paradise, which opened its doors last May, welcomed first-time hatches from the Madagascar crested ibis, a threatened species, as well as hatches from the Brazilian teal and Vietnam pheasant.
In addition, the Negros bleeding-heart dove, a native to the Philippine island of Negros, also welcomed eight new chicks, bringing the total hatchlings to 16.
According to Mandai, the Bird Paradise is the first and only zoological institution outside the Philippines to have the Negros bleeding-heart dove. The offspring will eventually be released into natural habitats in the Philippines to restore the wild population.
A fluffy American flamingo chick among its flock at Hong Leong Foundation Crimson Wetlands in Bird Paradise (Photo: Mandai Wildlife Group)
Last November, the park also welcomed an American flamingo chick, its first in over 25 years.
The young flamingo is "feeding well" and can be found among its flock at the Hong Leong Foundation Crimson Wetlands, Mandai said.
As part of Mandai Nature’s ongoing collaborations with regional conservation partners to boost both on site and off site bird species, four straw-headed bulbuls and six Bali myna chicks were also hatched.
Straw-headed bulbul chicks perched on a railing (left) and Bali myna chicks at Bird Paradise (Photos: Mandai Wildlife Group)
West Indian manatee calf at River Wonders
Meanwhile over at River Wonders, a female calf was born last June to Eva, the largest female West Indian manatee at the Amazon Flooded Forest.Measuring 1.3m at birth, the calf had to be bottle-fed by her keepers as she did not exhibit suckling behaviour. Since then, she has grown to 1.6m, and now enjoys a diet of vegetables and high fibrous biscuits, just like the other adult manatees.
River Wonders’ newest West Indian manatee calf calmly waits to be fed (left) and calf between parents (Photos: Mandai Wildlife Group)
"Every new addition to our wildlife family is special, as each birth and hatching contributes towards nurturing healthy, sustainable populations of species under human care," said Mandai Group's deputy chief executive officer, Cheng Wen-Haur.
Cheng added that many of the bred species have "significant impacts" in preserving biodiversity and protecting wildlife.
