Singapore Zoos Species Questions

zooboy28

zooboy28

Well-Known Member
I need some help working out all the species I actually saw at the various Singapore animal attractions in late 2011, and I hope people who have visited will be able to help with these. I suspect I could get most of the answers from ISIS, but this doesn't appear to be accessible at present. So, on with the questions:

Underwater World:
-There was a 'Rainbow Python' held by a snake-charmer-type guy outside the entrance, any ideas what species this would be?
-Also saw a gecko in the sea turtle viewing cave - any ideas on species? Photo here: http://www.zoochat.com/657/underwater-world-gecko-id-267630/

Night Safari:
-What subspecies of waterbuck is displayed?
-Are there only Malayan Fruit Bats or are there also other bat species displayed in the Night Safari?
-Am I correct in thinking that there are Indian Spotted Mousedeer (Moschiola indica), Greater Mousedeer (Tragulus napu), and Lesser Mousedeer (Tragulus kanchil) on display? And no other mousedeer species?
-Are all Leopards on display Sri Lankan?
-Where are the Asiatic Elephants from, i.e. would they be classified as the Indian, Sri Lankan or another subspecies?

Singapore Zoo:
-Which species of heron/egret shares with the Flamingoes (may have been a wild individual)?
-What is the bat species that hangs in the Sumatran Orang-Utan viewing house?
-Which Crowned Pigeon species is displayed in the Critter's Longhouse and Fragile Forest?
-What turtle species is housed in the low-fenced enclosure with the pool at the front that immediately follows the Critters Longhouse (towards the Garden with a View)? Photo here: http://www.zoochat.com/40/singapore-zoo-turtle-id-267631/
-Which species of Red-bellied Turtle inhabits Fragile Forest?
-What species of Pelican shares with the Manatees?
-Am I correct in thinking that there are Greater Mousedeer (Tragulus napu), Sri Lankan Spotted Mousedeer (Moschiola meminna) and Lesser Mousedeer (Tragulus kanchil) on display? And no other mousedeer species?
-Are all Leopards on display Sri Lankan?
-Where are the Asiatic Elephants from, i.e. would they be classified as the Indian, Sri Lankan or another subspecies?
-I also saw a wild skink, which I would appreciate ID of, photo here: http://www.zoochat.com/40/singapore-zoo-skink-id-267632/

I realise that many of these are extremely specific (probably pedantic) questions, and only the most regular visitors (i.e. Zooish) will know the answers, but try anyway. I have more questions from Jurong Bird Park, which I will post in a few days, although photos will probably yield better answers.

Thanks in advance.
 
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zooboy28 said:
Am I correct in thinking that there are Indian Spotted Mousedeer (Moschiola indica), Greater Mousedeer (Tragulus napu), and Lesser Mousedeer (Tragulus kanchil) on display? And no other mousedeer species?
Click to expand...
Under the revised taxonomy of mouse-deer, the 'Indian/Sri Lankan' form held in Singapore is actually the Yellow-striped Mouse-Deer (Moschiola kathygre).
 
I think the skink in your photo is a Common Sun-Skink (Eutropis multifasciatus)
 
zooboy28 said:
I need some help working out all the species I actually saw at the various Singapore animal attractions in late 2011, and I hope people who have visited will be able to help with these. I suspect I could get most of the answers from ISIS, but this doesn't appear to be accessible at present. So, on with the questions:

Underwater World:
-There was a 'Rainbow Python' held by a snake-charmer-type guy outside the entrance, any ideas what species this would be?
-Also saw a gecko in the sea turtle viewing cave - any ideas on species? Photo here: http://www.zoochat.com/657/underwater-world-gecko-id-267630/

Night Safari:
-What subspecies of waterbuck is displayed?
-Are there only Malayan Fruit Bats or are there also other bat species displayed in the Night Safari?
-Am I correct in thinking that there are Indian Spotted Mousedeer (Moschiola indica), Greater Mousedeer (Tragulus napu), and Lesser Mousedeer (Tragulus kanchil) on display? And no other mousedeer species?
-Are all Leopards on display Sri Lankan?
-Where are the Asiatic Elephants from, i.e. would they be classified as the Indian, Sri Lankan or another subspecies?

Singapore Zoo:
-Which species of heron/egret shares with the Flamingoes (may have been a wild individual)?
-What is the bat species that hangs in the Sumatran Orang-Utan viewing house?
-Which Crowned Pigeon species is displayed in the Critter's Longhouse and Fragile Forest?
-What turtle species is housed in the low-fenced enclosure with the pool at the front that immediately follows the Critters Longhouse (towards the Garden with a View)? Photo here: http://www.zoochat.com/40/singapore-zoo-turtle-id-267631/
-Which species of Red-bellied Turtle inhabits Fragile Forest?
-What species of Pelican shares with the Manatees?
-Am I correct in thinking that there are Greater Mousedeer (Tragulus napu), Sri Lankan Spotted Mousedeer (Moschiola meminna) and Lesser Mousedeer (Tragulus kanchil) on display? And no other mousedeer species?
-Are all Leopards on display Sri Lankan?
-Where are the Asiatic Elephants from, i.e. would they be classified as the Indian, Sri Lankan or another subspecies?
-I also saw a wild skink, which I would appreciate ID of, photo here: http://www.zoochat.com/40/singapore-zoo-skink-id-267632/

I realise that many of these are extremely specific (probably pedantic) questions, and only the most regular visitors (i.e. Zooish) will know the answers, but try anyway. I have more questions from Jurong Bird Park, which I will post in a few days, although photos will probably yield better answers.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Hi zooboy28,

Underwater World
- Python: Do you have a picture of it? Most local 'snake charmers' use either reticulated or burmese rock pythons.
- Its probably a flat-tailed gecko Cosymbotus platyurus. Very common species.

Night Safari
- Kobus leche kafuensis supposedly.
- There's also the Lesser Dog-faced Fruit Bats .
- Moschiola meminna was the species listed under ISIS. But MikeG may be more updated about the revision. You're right about the other 2 species.
- Yes, all are Sri Lankan leopards.
- Elephants at Night Safari are all from Malaysia, so they're E.m. indicus.

Singapore Zoo
- Definitely wild. Grey, purple and little herons, and cattle and little egrets are very common here. Less common are the Pond herons.
- Lesser Dog-faced Fruit Bats.
- Victoria at Critters' Longhouse, Western at Fragile Forest.
- I think its a Malayan Box Turtle
- I think its Emydura subglobosa
- Hybrids, dalmatian x something else...
- Yes, subject to MikeG's latest on the Moschiola revision.
- Yes, the lone male leopard at the zoo is Sri Lankan.
- The zoo has 3 subspecies - E.m. sumatranus, E.m. indicus and E.m. maximus from Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and Sir Lanka respectively.
- MikeG's right, its a common aka many-lined sun skink.
 
Zooish said:
Moschiola meminna was the species listed under ISIS. But MikeG may be more updated about the revision. You're right about the other 2 species.
Click to expand...
ISIS often lags behind the latest taxonomic findings.
My identification of the mouse-deer species is not only based on personal observation of the animals, but on the 'Wildlife Reserves Singapore Yearbook 2007/2008'. Reporting on the first captive births of these mouse-deer, it says "they are from a species only formally described and put forth as a new species in 2005". This is Moschiola kathygre (though the scientific name isn't used in the Yearbook).
 
@MikeG, Thanks for your help, still a bit confused about the Moschiola, but that might be because the signs at the Night Safari and Zoo suggested they held different species. So just one species of Moschiola at both parks?

@Zooish, Thanks for your excellent reply with all the answers, appreciate it. We weren't allowed to take photos of the "rainbow python" without paying, so don't have any other way to ID it, not too fussed though. Do you know if the lesser dog-faced fruit bat is Cynopterus brachyotis or a different species?
 
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I have some more questions regarding the country/location of origin and/or subspecies of a few species at the Zoo and Night Safari, regarding the following species:

-Leopard Cat
-Markhor
-Mouflon
-Water Buffalo
-Babirusa
-White Stork

Also, what species of Spider Monkey are at the Zoo?
 
zooboy28 said:
I have some more questions regarding the country/location of origin and/or subspecies of a few species at the Zoo and Night Safari, regarding the following species:

-Leopard Cat
-Markhor
-Mouflon
-Water Buffalo
-Babirusa
-White Stork

Also, what species of Spider Monkey are at the Zoo?
Click to expand...

- Prionailurus bengalensis bengalensis (i think) From Indochina and Peninsular Malaysia
- Not too sure about this one
- Ovis orientalis musimon European Mouflon
- Bubalus bubalis Domestic breed from Borneo
- ISIS lists them as Buru Babirusa, but most on Zoochat believe it is just a legacy issue after the split in Babyrousa. So the population in Singapore should be Babyrousa celebensis
- Ciconia ciconia with no mention of origin

- Ateles fusciceps robustus Brown-headed Spider Monkey
 
zooboy28 said:
@MikeG, Thanks for your help, still a bit confused about the Moschiola, but that might be because the signs at the Night Safari and Zoo suggested they held different species. So just one species of Moschiola at both parks?

@Zooish, Thanks for your excellent reply with all the answers, appreciate it. We weren't allowed to take photos of the "rainbow python" without paying, so don't have any other way to ID it, not too fussed though. Do you know if the lesser dog-faced fruit bat is Cynopterus brachyotis or a different species?
Click to expand...

Just one species. The population originated from 2 males and 2 females brought in from Sri Lanka.

Yes, its Cynopterus brachyotis. Very common in Singapore, even in urban areas.
 
Thanks Zooish, I'll assume the White Stork is the east Asian species, and the Markhor to be the Tajik subspecies, as this is the one kept in European Zoos, which is presumably the origin of these animals.

So onto the questions about Jurong Bird Park:

-Which species of Imperial Pigeon is kept in the Waterfall Aviary?
-Are there just Toco and Cuvier's Toucans in the Hornbill & Toucan aviaries?
-Which wild heron and stork species frequent the park - I think I have identified Grey Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Milky Stork (may have been an unlabelled zoo bird), Cattle Egret & Little Egret, are these likely visitors?

The following questions relate to the photos attached below:

-The first is a wild bird, which I suspect it is a juvenile Grey Heron, but not sure.
-The second is a goose in the Waterfall Aviary.
-The third is a bird in one of the side aviaries in Jewels of Asia.
-The fourth is a pair of birds in the walkthrough part of Jewels of Asia.
 

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Found another photo I am unsure about, this one of some ducks on the edge of the main Flamingo lake.
 

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zooboy28 said:
Thanks Zooish, I'll assume the White Stork is the east Asian species, and the Markhor to be the Tajik subspecies, as this is the one kept in European Zoos, which is presumably the origin of these animals.

So onto the questions about Jurong Bird Park:

-Which species of Imperial Pigeon is kept in the Waterfall Aviary?
-Are there just Toco and Cuvier's Toucans in the Hornbill & Toucan aviaries?
-Which wild heron and stork species frequent the park - I think I have identified Grey Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Milky Stork (may have been an unlabelled zoo bird), Cattle Egret & Little Egret, are these likely visitors?

The following questions relate to the photos attached below:

-The first is a wild bird, which I suspect it is a juvenile Grey Heron, but not sure.
-The second is a goose in the Waterfall Aviary.
-The third is a bird in one of the side aviaries in Jewels of Asia.
-The fourth is a pair of birds in the walkthrough part of Jewels of Asia.
Click to expand...

- There shouldn't be any imperial pigeons in the Waterfall Aviary as most of the non-African species have been purged. There are African Green Pigeons and possibly a surviving Seychelles blue pigeon in there. Otherwise, the park keeps Pied, Green and Pinon imperial pigeons in its SE Asian aviary. There are several Pied escapees which fly around the park as well.
- Yes, just the 2 species left. Black-necked Aracari was taken off exhibit recently.
- Grey, Purple and Striated (little) herons are wild residents in the park. Cattle and Little Egrets as well. The Night herons and Milky storks were released as free-range birds.

- Looks like a juvenile Purple heron
- Gambian spur-winged goose
- Greater Coucal
- Blue-faced Honeyeater
 
Zooish said:
- There shouldn't be any imperial pigeons in the Waterfall Aviary as most of the non-African species have been purged. There are African Green Pigeons and possibly a surviving Seychelles blue pigeon in there. Otherwise, the park keeps Pied, Green and Pinon imperial pigeons in its SE Asian aviary. There are several Pied escapees which fly around the park as well.
- Yes, just the 2 species left. Black-necked Aracari was taken off exhibit recently.
- Grey, Purple and Striated (little) herons are wild residents in the park. Cattle and Little Egrets as well. The Night herons and Milky storks were released as free-range birds.

- Looks like a juvenile Purple heron
- Gambian spur-winged goose
- Greater Coucal
- Blue-faced Honeyeater
Click to expand...

Thanks again Zooish, thats all my questions sorted now :D

This is a photo I took in the waterfall aviary, I'm pretty sure it is a Pied Imperial Pigeon, maybe it had survived the purge. How did the purge work - lots of keepers with nets?
 

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zooboy28 said:
Thanks again Zooish, thats all my questions sorted now :D

This is a photo I took in the waterfall aviary, I'm pretty sure it is a Pied Imperial Pigeon, maybe it had survived the purge. How did the purge work - lots of keepers with nets?
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Hmm.. it looks like an African Collared Dove to me actually.

About the purge, not sure how it was done exactly. I think baited traps were used, but there could have been lots of people running around with nets too ;)
 
The dove is a Zenaida species, perhaps eared dove (Z. auriculata). A genus from North and South America.
 
condor said:
The dove is a Zenaida species, perhaps eared dove (Z. auriculata). A genus from North and South America.
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Eared dove is very likely. A 'remnant' species from when the aviary was mixed with birds from Australasia, S. America and Africa.
 
I have some more questions, from all WRS zoos:

What subspecies of the following are held:
-Great Argus Pheasant
-Rockhopper Penguin
-Eurasian Eagle Owl
-Colobus Monkey
-Chimpanzee
-Thamin
-Hog Deer
-Gaur
-Banteng
-Markhor
-Bharal
-Bat-eared Fox

Thanks in advance.
 
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zooboy28 said:
I have some more questions, from all WRS zoos:

What subspecies of the following are held:
-Great Argus Pheasant
-Rockhopper Penguin
-Eurasian Eagle Owl
-Colobus Monkey
-Chimpanzee
-Thamin
-Gaur
-Banteng
-Markhor
-Bharal
-Bat-eared Fox

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Off the top of my head:
- Thamin - P.eldii thamin
- Chimp - P.t.troglodytes

Rockhopper records are not accurate in ISIS.
 
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