TRAVEL SPECIAL ................GO Wild in Singapore

GO Wild in Singapore

When was the last time a big lion stood next to you? Wildlife parks in Singapore come very close to giving you a South African-safari type experience

Night Safari Anocturnal animal experience (the Singapore Zoo was one of the first to provide it) awaits me, on my first night in the city. The night safari starts at 7.30 pm and the park takes visitors on a 35-minute tram ride through seven geographic regions, from the Himalayan foothills to the jungles of Southeast Asia. With live commentary, the park hopes to educate visitors on the importance of wildlife conservation. A must-watch is the Creatures of the Night show. The 20-minute, highly interactive, animal extravaganza takes you right into the heart of the rainforest and demonstrates unique behaviours and skills of nocturnal creatures like otters, binturongs, civet cats and more. We were amazed by the spotted hyena’s powerful jaws and cheered the African serval as it leaped for its prey and clapped for the raccoon that knew how to use the recycle bin. Next was a fire show with a crowd-pleasing troop of Thumbuakar warriors heating up the night with energy, rhythm, fire-eating skills, flame-throwing demos and breathtaking stunts! It was 10 pm and we were hungry; we headed straight to the park’s Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant that evokes a kampong (traditional village) feel and offers both al fresco or indoor dining and buffet or à la carte. Jurong Bird Park W e were amidst tweets and chirps at the Jurong Bird Park, Asia’s largest one that houses over 5,000 bird species, spanning 20 hectares. The first stop at the park was at 10 am for the Kings of the Skies show, where regal eagles, falcons and hawks swooping above our heads, displayed their profound presence in the blue skies nudging powdery clouds. We were a click-happy group at the show. Next we head for the 11 am, High Flyers Show, where 50 birds showcase free-flying performances that leave us gaping at the amazing talent, beauty and intelligence of our feathered friends from around the world. After posing with the birds, it was time to feed the lories! My favourite Jurong experience hands down was feeding the lories and lorikeets in the Lory Loft, although, stepping into the nine-story-high enclosure is a bit daunting at first, not to mention quite noisy. Close to 1,000 of these brightly coloured parrots fly freely about, all too eager to say hello when you’re holding a bowl of nectar in your hands. It’s not uncommon to have five or six of them perching on you at any given time. They can be quite ‘pushy’ with one another, but it’s all part of the fun. Other not-to-be missed highlights include the Waterfall Aviary, the Hornbill and Toucan Exhibit, Penguin Coast, Macaw Island and Flamingo Lake. We ended our visit with a quick lunch break at the Hawk Café. Singapore Zoo This part of our trip will remain etched in my mind forever. We were scheduled to have breakfast with the orangutans! They came and posed for the shutterbugs. The zoo uses moats and beautifully landscaped glass-fronted enclosures to house some 2,800 animals. 28 hectares of land is divided into more than a dozen regions, featuring 216 species, including rare and endangered ones. You can even hold a snake. Photographic opportunities, of course, abound. Other highlights include feeding programs, elephant and pony rides, animal shows and a tram ride. River Safari Singapore’s newest 12-hectare River Safari showcases marine life from eight iconic river habitats around the world. The river journey begins through a dark, air-conditioned room with multimedia presentations introducing the park. We saunter through the rivers of the world and say hello to animals of the rivers: Mississippi, Congo, Murray, Nile, Mekong, Ganges and Yangtze. Each section has plenty of information boards on the animals. But, the park’s highlight is the Giant Panda Forest. The climate-controlled biodome that houses the stars of the River Safari–the extrovert Jia Jia and the shy Kia Kia; they were loaned from China, a few years back, for research purposes. After a few photo ops, we take a break at the Mama Panda kitchen and try the restaurant’s famous hot snack Panda Pau, which comes in two flavours–red bean and chocolate custard. Feeling recharged now, we head to Wild Amazonia, a section entirely dedicated to the Amazon River, for the much-awaited Amazon River Quest Ride. It’s like a roller coaster ride, where everyone is seated in front of each other and has to wear seat belts and pull the handle bar down to their knees. However, unlike typical roller coasters, it’s very slow and gives you an enjoyable sightseeing experience. Along the 483m-long man-made river, you may spot Amazon River’s flamingoes, jaguars and the maned wolf.  Rama Sreekant DNA 140904