Jurong Bird Park Jurong Bird Park News 2020

While Jurong is currently closed to visitors (along with all the other WRS parks) till May 4th at the very least because of the coronavirus outbreak, the keepers are still busy preparing for a major re-theme of the walk-in aviaries. When the park re-opens, what is presently Lory Loft will be re-launched as African Treetops, housing species like starlings, turacos and small hornbills. The lories are being relocated to what was formerly the Jungle Jewels aviary, which will become the new Lory Loft. The Waterfall Aviary will gradually be re-themed as a South American aviary. Macaws for instance are starting to be introduced into the aviary. All this re-theming of the aviaries is meant to test out species mixes for the new bird park which will hopefully still open in 2022 (the coronavirus might delay the completion).
 
Zooish said:
All this re-theming of the aviaries is meant to test out species mixes for the new bird park which will hopefully still open in 2022
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Reading your post I was wondering why they are bothering retheming the aviaries to such a degree when they are closing Jurong, but it makes good sense now.
 
Lory Loft is one of my favourite avairies in the world, and I have always felt it was underserved as a lorikeet walkthrough. I am very excited about this change.
 
Chlidonias said:
Reading your post I was wondering why they are bothering retheming the aviaries to such a degree when they are closing Jurong, but it makes good sense now.
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Jurong also has to continue operating for at least a year and a half more, so such re-themes can help to attract visitors in lieu of building new exhibits.
 
Just quoting these here for relevence:

FunkyGibbon said:
Are the any of the walkthrough aviaries at the new park comparable in size to Lorikeet Landing or the Waterfall Aviary? (not sure we have an answer to this question)
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Thomas said:
It’s what I heard from the recent news from Jurong Bird Park News Thread.
To prepare for the move, the main aviaries have been re-themed like the waterfall aviary will be re-themed as a South American aviary and the macaws will be introduced into this aviary.
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quick visit today. The pair of shoebill are there again. It seems COVID change the plan to send them to Belgium. But two blue macaws are not there anymore, the park already took all information board away.
The African treetops open already, the African birds like ,Von der Decken's hornbill, different Turaco, starlings are moved there.
The new Lory Loft still under construction.
 
DannySG said:
quick visit today. The pair of shoebill are there again. It seems COVID change the plan to send them to Belgium. But two blue macaws are not there anymore, the park already took all information board away.
The African treetops open already, the African birds like ,Von der Decken's hornbill, different Turaco, starlings are moved there.
The new Lory Loft still under construction.
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Hi @DannySG, indeed the shoebills were brought abck to the park due to covid-19; they will still eventually move within the next couple of months as flights become available. Same for the macaws.
The Lory Loft is not under construction, it was open to public :p. It currently houses aprox. 100 Lories, Palm Cockatoos, Pesquet's Parrot, Australian King Parrots, Western Crowned Pigeons, Blue-faced Honey-eaters and Blue-winged Kookaburra.
 
DannySG said:
The new Lory Loft still under construction.
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TheBirdMan said:
The Lory Loft is not under construction, it was open to public :p. It currently houses aprox. 100 Lories, Palm Cockatoos, Pesquet's Parrot, Australian King Parrots, Western Crowned Pigeons, Blue-faced Honey-eaters and Blue-winged Kookaburra.
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They surely can't have built an entire new walk-through aviary when the park is closing relatively soon (?). Is this "new Lory Loft" the old Jungle Jewels aviary, or something else?
 
Chlidonias said:
They surely can't have built an entire new walk-through aviary when the park is closing relatively soon (?). Is this "new Lory Loft" the old Jungle Jewels aviary, or something else?
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Yes the new Lory Loft was the old Jungle Jewels aviary. Same structure and layout.
 
TheBirdMan said:
The new park has 8 walk-through aviaries, ranging in size from 1.7 Ha to 0.25 Ha. For reference Waterfall is 1.2 Ha and African Treetops (former Lory Loft) is 0.3 Ha.
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Thanks for the information @TheBirdMan (Dr L?). I know the largest will be the African themed one. Which geographical zone is the 0.25ha one?
 
TheBirdMan said:
Yes, something like that :D
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I'm guessing that Covid will further delay the completion of the new bird park?

And are there any interesting new species coming to the new bird park that you can share at this stage (i'm pushing my luck ;))?
 
Zooish said:
I'm guessing that Covid will further delay the completion of the new bird park?

And are there any interesting new species coming to the new bird park that you can share at this stage (i'm pushing my luck ;))?
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I think the expanded Southeast Asian aviary would be a great opportunity to co-habit some herbivorous Indo-Pacific reptiles among the doves, pheasants and songbirds. Species already present in the collection like Solomon Islands giant skink, Asian brown tortoise (which were once exhibited in Wings of Asia) and the terrestrial turtle, Heosemys spinosa.

Theft by unruly guests could be a concern tho, so maybe some in-aviary installations could be developed. Just a fun idea... :)
 
Zooish said:
I'm guessing that Covid will further delay the completion of the new bird park?

And are there any interesting new species coming to the new bird park that you can share at this stage (i'm pushing my luck ;))?
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For now WRS is still targeting 2022 for the opening of the new Bird Park. The collection plan for the park is quite ambitious, and new species will continue to arrive at Jurong as the time gets closer. Not all will necessarily be on display. :rolleyes:
 
TheBirdMan said:
For now WRS is still targeting 2022 for the opening of the new Bird Park. The collection plan for the park is quite ambitious, and new species will continue to arrive at Jurong as the time gets closer. Not all will necessarily be on display. :rolleyes:
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Fingers crossed that the new bird park will open in 2022. Shame though that the Spix's and Lear's macaws and shoebills are leaving the collection. Especially the macaws after all the hard work put in to get them here.
 
Zooish said:
Fingers crossed that the new bird park will open in 2022. Shame though that the Spix's and Lear's macaws and shoebills are leaving the collection. Especially the macaws after all the hard work put in to get them here.
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True - but the Spix's in particular have been marvellous ambassadors for those like me who journeyed to Singapore just to see them. Great that the Philippine Eagles were on exhibit at the same time.
 
Trumpeter_Swan_02.jpg Only just found out that JBP used to bear trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) in their collection. Curious if there'll be any new swan species like Coscoroba making an appearance in the future.
 

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