River Wonders River Wonders News 2025

[Casuarius_casuarius]

Are there any new exhibits in the works at River Wonders? If the pandas were to ever leave it would leave a significant gap in the collection, imo.

I would not be surprised if golden snub-nosed monkeys are potentially in future plans, but this is purely speculation.

 

[Small Mammal Fan]

Hi, apologies to interrupt this thread, I just wanted to ask how easy it is to visit river wonders and night safari on the same day please? I thought it might be ok if I arrive at the time slot for night safari after spending the day at river wonders, and perhaps the Mandai boardwalk before getting to river wonders. Please let me know as a first time tourist, many thanks.

 

[Nadchew_]

Hi, apologies to interrupt this thread, I just wanted to ask how easy it is to visit river wonders and night safari on the same day please? I thought it might be ok if I arrive at the time slot for night safari after spending the day at river wonders, and perhaps the Mandai boardwalk before getting to river wonders. Please let me know as a first time tourist, many thanks.

River wonders at the very most will take 3- 3.5 hours if you really take your own sweet time with the place. It is not a very big park and overall is very linear, so if you do go in the morning you will definitely finish the park with plenty of room to spare before night safari opens.

 

[CMP]

Hi, apologies to interrupt this thread, I just wanted to ask how easy it is to visit river wonders and night safari on the same day please? I thought it might be ok if I arrive at the time slot for night safari after spending the day at river wonders, and perhaps the Mandai boardwalk before getting to river wonders. Please let me know as a first time tourist, many thanks.

Very easy, and River Safari closes with plenty of time to go to Night Safari before it opens. I even did Bird Paradise, River Safari, and Night Safari on the same day, (Not that I'd necessarily recommend it, I'd say BP needs an extra day more than that), and River Safari was slightly rushed, although I did take the boat ride twice. 2.5-3 hours should be plenty.

 

[Small Mammal Fan]

Thank you very much for the info. Since I believe river wonders closes around the same time night safari opens, I coukd get to river wonders for 3:30pm-4pm? Maybe the boardwalk before 3? Thanks

 

[Nadchew_]

Thank you very much for the info. Since I believe river wonders closes around the same time night safari opens, I coukd get to river wonders for 3:30pm-4pm? Maybe the boardwalk before 3? Thanks

Boardwalk i suggest you put in 2 hours or slightly more if you are walking very slowly just in case as it traces the whole perimeter of the zoo and river wonders.

 

[Toki]

Hi, apologies to interrupt this thread, I just wanted to ask how easy it is to visit river wonders and night safari on the same day please? I thought it might be ok if I arrive at the time slot for night safari after spending the day at river wonders, and perhaps the Mandai boardwalk before getting to river wonders. Please let me know as a first time tourist, many thanks.

Hi! I was there last weekend for 2 days ago, with this schedule:

DAY 1
Singapore Zoo 8:30-15:00 (Watched both performances)
River Wonders 15:15-18:00 (Including boat ride)
Night Safari 20:15-23:00 (Watched "Creatures of the Night")

DAY 2
Bird Paradise 9:00-14:30
Rainforest Wild ASIA 14:45-18:00

It's doable, but I was really tired...

 

[ralph]

Hey all!

As a preperation for my upcoming first visit, I am trying to construct a species list of this place, broken down per section.

Based on the species list on page one of this thread, and the replies to those, I have a few questions.

1. The following is a list of species mentioned on the species list, that are absent from Zootierliste.
I assume ZTL is just incomplete in these cases. Should the following be added to ZTl?

- Sumatran palm civet
- Grey crowned crane
- Great white pelican
- Buffy fish-owl
- Indian black turtle
- Ball python
- Asian water monitor
- Ripsaw catfish (Oxydoras niger)
- Banded leporinus (Leporinus fasciatus)
- Chinese longsnout catfish (Tachysurus dumerili)
- Giant Bumblebee Catfish (Pseudopimelodus bufonius)
- Leopard cory (Brochis leopardus)

2. ZTL mentions Black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) as a current holding, but it is absent from the species list. Are they gone from the collection?

3. Both ZTL and the official map still mention the Aba (Gymnarchus niloticus), but the species list on page one does not. Is this cool species gone as well?

4. Gilded catfish (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii) is mentioned on ZTL as being kept in the Arowana pond with a entry dating from jan 2024, yet it is not mentioned on the species list. Are they gone?

5. The following species were kept in the Mekong section until recently. Are these currently gone, or still on display somewhere?
- Bigspot barb (Puntius dunckeri)
- Bintan licorice gourami (Parosphromenus bintan)
- Mosquito rasbora (Boraras brigittae)

6. These species were at some point kept in the Mekong main tank, but are not mentioned on the species list. Are these all gone?
- Tricolor sharkminnow (Balantiocheilos melanopterus)
- Thai mahseer (Tor tambroides)
- Humpback mahseer (Hypselobarbus mussullah) (seen, not signed in aug 2024)
- Wallago (Wallagonia micropogon)
- Chao Phraya catfish (Wallago attu)

7. Same question, but this time for some species of the Tanganyika tank.
- Tanganyikan butterfly (X. papilio)
- Yellow sand cichlid (X. flavipinnis)
- Blue neon cichlid (P. nigripinnis)
- Princess of Buruni (N. brichardi)

Thanks to anyone who has some more information

 

[Nadchew_]

Hey all!

As a preperation for my upcoming first visit, I am trying to construct a species list of this place, broken down per section.

Based on the species list on page one of this thread, and the replies to those, I have a few questions.

1. The following is a list of species mentioned on the species list, that are absent from Zootierliste.
I assume ZTL is just incomplete in these cases. Should the following be added to ZTl?

- Sumatran palm civet
- Grey crowned crane
- Great white pelican
- Buffy fish-owl
- Indian black turtle
- Ball python
- Asian water monitor
- Ripsaw catfish (Oxydoras niger)
- Banded leporinus (Leporinus fasciatus)
- Chinese longsnout catfish (Tachysurus dumerili)
- Giant Bumblebee Catfish (Pseudopimelodus bufonius)
- Leopard cory (Brochis leopardus)

2. ZTL mentions Black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) as a current holding, but it is absent from the species list. Are they gone from the collection?

3. Both ZTL and the official map still mention the Aba (Gymnarchus niloticus), but the species list on page one does not. Is this cool species gone as well?

4. Gilded catfish (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii) is mentioned on ZTL as being kept in the Arowana pond with a entry dating from jan 2024, yet it is not mentioned on the species list. Are they gone?

5. The following species were kept in the Mekong section until recently. Are these currently gone, or still on display somewhere?
- Bigspot barb (Puntius dunckeri)
- Bintan licorice gourami (Parosphromenus bintan)
- Mosquito rasbora (Boraras brigittae)

6. These species were at some point kept in the Mekong main tank, but are not mentioned on the species list. Are these all gone?
- Tricolor sharkminnow (Balantiocheilos melanopterus)
- Thai mahseer (Tor tambroides)
- Humpback mahseer (Hypselobarbus mussullah) (seen, not signed in aug 2024)
- Wallago (Wallagonia micropogon)
- Chao Phraya catfish (Wallago attu)

7. Same question, but this time for some species of the Tanganyika tank.
- Tanganyikan butterfly (X. papilio)
- Yellow sand cichlid (X. flavipinnis)
- Blue neon cichlid (P. nigripinnis)
- Princess of Buruni (N. brichardi)

Thanks to anyone who has some more information

1. Sumatran palm civet shouldn't based on my understanding. The giant bumblebee catfish and chinese longsnout catfish has been signed for quite some time but never been spotted.

2. All Black-faced spoonbills have been moved to Bird Paradise's Wings of Asia

3. Have not seen the Aba in some time so may not be there. Happy to be corrected though

4. The Gilded catfish is in both the arowana pond and amazon flooded forests manatee tank

5. Only the Bintan licorice gourami is still on display at the first of the Mekong jewel tanks

6. All mentioned except the last two are still on display

7. Blue Neon cichlid and Fairy cichlid are still on display

 

[NATY]

Hey all!

As a preperation for my upcoming first visit, I am trying to construct a species list of this place, broken down per section.

Based on the species list on page one of this thread, and the replies to those, I have a few questions.

1. The following is a list of species mentioned on the species list, that are absent from Zootierliste.
I assume ZTL is just incomplete in these cases. Should the following be added to ZTl?

- Sumatran palm civet
- Grey crowned crane
- Great white pelican
- Buffy fish-owl
- Indian black turtle
- Ball python
- Asian water monitor
- Ripsaw catfish (Oxydoras niger)
- Banded leporinus (Leporinus fasciatus)
- Chinese longsnout catfish (Tachysurus dumerili)
- Giant Bumblebee Catfish (Pseudopimelodus bufonius)
- Leopard cory (Brochis leopardus)

2. ZTL mentions Black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) as a current holding, but it is absent from the species list. Are they gone from the collection?

3. Both ZTL and the official map still mention the Aba (Gymnarchus niloticus), but the species list on page one does not. Is this cool species gone as well?

4. Gilded catfish (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii) is mentioned on ZTL as being kept in the Arowana pond with a entry dating from jan 2024, yet it is not mentioned on the species list. Are they gone?

5. The following species were kept in the Mekong section until recently. Are these currently gone, or still on display somewhere?
- Bigspot barb (Puntius dunckeri)
- Bintan licorice gourami (Parosphromenus bintan)
- Mosquito rasbora (Boraras brigittae)

6. These species were at some point kept in the Mekong main tank, but are not mentioned on the species list. Are these all gone?
- Tricolor sharkminnow (Balantiocheilos melanopterus)
- Thai mahseer (Tor tambroides)
- Humpback mahseer (Hypselobarbus mussullah) (seen, not signed in aug 2024)
- Wallago (Wallagonia micropogon)
- Chao Phraya catfish (Wallago attu)

7. Same question, but this time for some species of the Tanganyika tank.
- Tanganyikan butterfly (X. papilio)
- Yellow sand cichlid (X. flavipinnis)
- Blue neon cichlid (P. nigripinnis)
- Princess of Buruni (N. brichardi)

Thanks to anyone who has some more information

A single crowned crane has lived with the greater flamingos in the boat ride since 2023 but not sure if it's still there. Pelican, water monitor and ball python are visible in the show. Ripsaw catfish should be at the manatee tank, giant bumblebee catfish in the stingray tank and leopard corys are with the cardinal tetras.

 

[ralph]

Thanks for the replies.

I added the water monitor, ball python, great white pelican, leopard cory and ripsaw catfish to ZTL since they are now confirmed to be kept at the zoo. I have not added the others yet since there is still some incertainty. I also moved the spoonbill to former holdings.

Too bad about the aba. It's been years since I've seen one, and even longer since I've seen an adult.

 

[BucerosKeeper]

Thanks for the replies.

I added the water monitor, ball python, great white pelican, leopard cory and ripsaw catfish to ZTL since they are now confirmed to be kept at the zoo. I have not added the others yet since there is still some incertainty. I also moved the spoonbill to former holdings.

Too bad about the aba. It's been years since I've seen one, and even longer since I've seen an adult.

The Leopard Cory is not Brochis leopardus. The species in the collection is Hoplisoma trilineatum, which is what is ofte referred to as "Leopard Cory" here.

The Aba is in their holding area. Their attempt to have them cohabit, unsurprisingly to most people who have kept or worked with this species, failed. Unless they're willing to feature it in a standalone aquarium, I doubt she'll go back on display soon, or if they ever decide to return her to the Pygmy Hippo gallery at the zoo.

 

[LeMandaiEnthusiast‧]

Their attempt to have them cohabit, unsurprisingly to most people who have kept or worked with this species, failed

Do they not get along with other species in general?

 

[Nadchew_]

Do they not get along with other species in general?

Abas are highly territorial and more on the aggressive side. Most of the time they should be kept in standalone tanks and are intolerant of other fishes

 

[Zooish]

One of the Aba has just been placed in the Atlantic Tarpon tank. Hope it works out.

The Indian Gharial exhibit is also closed for upgrading, to fix the awful glare/reflection issue. The male "Shant" has been moved to the former Saltwater Crocodile exhibit at the Zoo in the meantime.

 

[ralph]

The Leopard Cory is not Brochis leopardus. The species in the collection is Hoplisoma trilineatum, which is what is ofte referred to as "Leopard Cory" here.

It is signed as Brochis leopardis though. Ofcourse there is the possibility the signage is wrong.

 

[NATY]

Speaking of, does anyone know what happened to the golden-headed lion tamarins, which seem to have been phased out in 2023? Same with the black-handed spider monkeys formerly kept in the zoo though I think all of Mandai's spider monkeys are kept in the Amazon River Quest ride now

 

[Zooish]

Speaking of, does anyone know what happened to the golden-headed lion tamarins, which seem to have been phased out in 2023? Same with the black-handed spider monkeys formerly kept in the zoo though I think all of Mandai's spider monkeys are kept in the Amazon River Quest ride now

The Golden-headed Lion Tamarins are off show. The Black-handed Spider Monkeys are displayed along the boat ride.

 

[ralph]

Here's another list of species that are mentioned on ZTL, but which are absent from the species list of this thread.

Can anyone confirm if any of these species are actually still kept (or not)?
And if so, where they are kept?
Thanks!

Black neon tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi)
Blackline penguinfish (Thayeria boehlkei)
Blue diamond african tetra (Alestopetersius smykalai)
Flame-back bleeding-heart tetra (Hyphessobrycon pyrrhonotus)
Glass bloodfin (Prionobrama filigera)

Emerald dwarf rasbora (Danio erythromicron)
Giant danio (Devario aequipinnatus)
Giant Chinese Bitterling (Acheilognathus macropterus)
Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) (seen, unsigned in yangtze 08/24)
Hampala barb (Hampala macrolepidota)

Burmese border loach (Botia kubotai)
Half-banded spiny eel (Macrognathus circumcinctus)

Forktail Blue-eye (Popondichthys furcatus)

Asian redtail catfish (Hemibagrus nemurus)
Flagtail catfish (Dianema urostriatum)
Siamese glass catfish (Kryptopterus vitreolus)

Burmese archerfish (Toxotes blythii)

Altum angelfish (Pterophyllum altum)
Cockatoo cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides)
Emperor cichlid (Aulonocara nyassae)
Haplochromis obliquidens (seen, signed 08/24)

Blacktail humbug (Dascyllus melanurus)

Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak)

 

[LKP]

Hi I haven’t visited river safari in a long time any new stuff?