Jurong Reptile Park (Closed) Jurong Reptile and Crocodile Paradise

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Peter Dickinson

Well-Known Member
During my 2006 visit to Singapore I visited the excellent Jurong Bird Park. Just across the car park was the truly awful Jurong Reptile and Crocodile Paradise I find it puzzling that a 'different' collection that is more or less on the door step of the Bird Park with a possibly huge visitor potential has not made a mark.
 
Peter Dickinson said:
During my 2006 visit to Singapore I visited the excellent Jurong Bird Park. Just across the car park was the truly awful Jurong Reptile and Crocodile Paradise I find it puzzling that a 'different' collection that is more or less on the door step of the Bird Park with a possibly huge visitor potential has not made a mark.
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Hardly a reptile or crocodile "paradise" "Truly awful" is an apt description.

This outfit featured albino Burms and Retics in chicken wire boxes, hundreds of mutilated crocodiles piled on top of each other in stinking ponds, a wonderful walk-through Green Iguana enclosure whose inhabitants were forced to dine on the scraps from restaurants shoveled over the fence from a derelict ute and the inevitable crocodile "show" performed by an expendable Malay who flirted with death at every performance while his predecessors performed their less glamorous chores behind the scenes - minus various parts of their anatomy as a permanent reminder of their show business days.

I haven't been to this place for a couple of years so can't confirm the rumour that it has now closed down.
 
It is closed down. I was in Singapore in January 2008 and saw signs pointing to the place as I stepped out of the bus close to Jurong, but was told by a ticket sales officer that it had closed down not so long before. The 'ruins' are just across the parking lot from the bird park entrance. I took some photos by jumping up in the air with my camera so it could snap what was behind the fence.
 
Steve Robinson said:
Hardly a reptile or crocodile "paradise" "Truly awful" is an apt description.

This outfit featured albino Burms and Retics in chicken wire boxes, hundreds of mutilated crocodiles piled on top of each other in stinking ponds, a wonderful walk-through Green Iguana enclosure whose inhabitants were forced to dine on the scraps from restaurants shoveled over the fence from a derelict ute and the inevitable crocodile "show" performed by an expendable Malay who flirted with death at every performance while his predecessors performed their less glamorous chores behind the scenes - minus various parts of their anatomy as a permanent reminder of their show business days.

I haven't been to this place for a couple of years so can't confirm the rumour that it has now closed down.
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Hi Steve,

Any idea what croc species they used to exhibit?

If the collection is now disolved, does anyone have a clue as to whereabouts of the collection?

K.B.

K.B.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Hi Steve,

Any idea what croc species they used to exhibit?

If the collection is now disolved, does anyone have a clue as to whereabouts of the collection?

K.B.

K.B.
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G'day K.B.

Estuarines.

I have no idea where the collection was dispersed to - there were some interesting reptiles there.

However, the crocs appeared to be part of a farming/processing operation. Every time that I visited over the years [the place intrigued me!] I came away with the impression that the the animal displays were just a front for something else. There was a much more labour intensive operation being conducted behind the scenes. I might be wrong - that was just my impression.
 
Indeed, the park closed many years back due to poor attendance.

It operated more like a crocodile farm than a conservation outfit, keeping estuarines in overcrowded pens with the usual Thai-style croc 'circus' show.

I'm guessing most of the crocs got sold to other croc farms in the region. The more exotic reptiles had found other homes. I believe their giant tortoises for example had been handed over to the Singapore Zoo.
 
Zooish said:
Indeed, the park closed many years back due to poor attendance.

It operated more like a crocodile farm than a conservation outfit, keeping estuarines in overcrowded pens with the usual Thai-style croc 'circus' show.

I'm guessing most of the crocs got sold to other croc farms in the region. The more exotic reptiles had found other homes. I believe their giant tortoises for example had been handed over to the Singapore Zoo.
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Welcome back Zooish.

You have been missed!
 
Reading the posts above That's a shame this park was like that. I just recently found out about this place and before looking it up my first thought was like this place has to be awesome since the Singapore zoo, the jurong Bird Park and Night Safari are cool. Is there any plans of reopening? You would think they could make this park a lot better than years past if they decide to re open.
 
jusko88 said:
Reading the posts above That's a shame this park was like that. I just recently found out about this place and before looking it up my first thought was like this place has to be awesome since the Singapore zoo, the jurong Bird Park and Night Safari are cool. Is there any plans of reopening? You would think they could make this park a lot better than years past if they decide to re open.
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I don't think there's any chance a croc/reptile-themed attraction would open in Singapore ever again. There just aren't enough herptile fans in this region to sustain a separate park on its own (especially given how crowded the animal park scene already is in Singapore).

The site where the park used to be now has restaurants and entertainment outlets.
 
There is/was another croc farm type attraction just off the main road to the airport. Crocs in concrete bunker type breeding pens but a lot cleaner than the Jurong place.

Is it still there, Zooish?
 
Steve Robinson said:
There is/was another croc farm type attraction just off the main road to the airport. Crocs in concrete bunker type breeding pens but a lot cleaner than the Jurong place.

Is it still there, Zooish?
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I believe you are referring to the Singapore Crocodilarium (fancy name for a croc farm). I understand the place closed down more than a decade ago.
 
Anyone know when this park opened? I've found an old brochure & map from this place, probably from the early 1990s.
 
gerenuk said:
Anyone know when this park opened? I've found an old brochure & map from this place, probably from the early 1990s.
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It opened in 1988: Crocodile farms of the past | The New Paper


Jurong Reptile and Crocodile Paradise

The 2 ha park was opened opposite the Jurong Bird Park in 1988 with a 30-year lease. It was reported to have cost $8m to establish, and began with 2,500 saltwater crocodiles.

Not only would it breed the crocs, it also offered shows. But in it’s first year, an Indonesian trainer had part of his left cheek bitten off by a female crocodile dubbed Hulk Hogan during a performance.

The imported crocodiles refused to mate and the park had to resort to artificial insemination.

Within three years, its owner attempted to sell it at $17m, but failed. Millions more dollars were pumped in for a facelift in 1997, and the park introduced statues of Hindu and Buddhist deities, which attracted worshippers.

Landlord JTC Corporation clamped down as the park was not authorised to conduct religious activitites.

In 2002, it was put up for sale for $3.5m. There were no takers.

It finally closed the doors on its 20-year history in 2006.



Here's another article about a couple of other crocodile farms that used to be in Singapore, just for the sake of interest: The Story of a Crocodile Farm at Upper Serangoon Road
 
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