River Wonders River Safari details revealed

Zooish

Zooish

Well-Known Member
20+ year member
Construction started on River Safari today. Details of the park:

Size: 12 hectares
Zones: 10 River systems, including Nile, Amazon, Mississippi, Yangtze, Mekong and Frozen Tundra

Animal species: About 500, including Giant Panda, Polar Bear, Malayan Tiger, Manatee, Raccoon Dog, Mekong Giant Catfish / Stingray, Arapaima, Electric Eel, Howler Monkey, Anaconda, Soft-shelled Turtle

The park can be toured on foot, via a slow boat ride (Amazon zone) and a white-water ride (Southeast Asia zone).

It is tentatively set to open in March 2012, and will straddle day and night operations (9am - 9pm).

Exciting stuff :)

Links to news articles:
Pandas, polars at new Safari

Channel NewsAsia - Attractions of Asia's first river-themed park River Safari unveiled - channelnewsasia.com
 
500 species, not specimens???? Interesting. But I think the most of them will be fishes, reptiles and amphibians, isn't it?
 
@zoomaniac: Yup, it will be heavy on fish and to a lesser extent amphibians and reptiles.

More info from news reports:

Other river systems featured are the Congo, Murray and Ganges (mostly displaying fish species).

Other animal species:

(Amazon River Quest boat ride)
Jaguar, Brazilian Tapir, Capybara, Giant River Otter, Squirrel Monkey, Maned Wolf, Giant Anteater, Tamarins and Waterfowl (in a "cruise-thru" aviary).

(SE Asia walking trail)
Reticulated Python, Prevost's Squirrel, Lesser Mousedeer.
 
In all, the new attraction will have some 500 species from 1,500 species on display, including howler monkeys, giant stingrays, soft-shelled turtles and the Mekong catfish, which can grow to 300kg. It is expected to draw more than 820,000 visitors each year, and tentative admission rates have been set at between $28 and $30 per head.
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is this supposed to mean 1500 specimens of 500 species? I'm not clear on it

Zooish, do you know if the entire park will be viewable on foot, or if the boat cruise parts - notably the Amazon part - are only viewable from the boat; and also if those boat rides are an additional cost?

I am really looking forward to seeing Mekong giant stingray and giant catfish! :D
 
@jwer: I would like to know where as well! Its the first time I've heard about Giant Otters being part of the collection. I'll update if I hear any news ;)

@chlidonias: The Mekong catfish have arrived and apparently the largest specimen is 1.5 metres long. Still got some growing to do... And yes, its 500 species, 1,500 specimens. The admission rate quoted should be inclusive of the boat rides.

I've had a closer look at the layout plan for the park from a TV news clip. As mentioned, the park will feature 10 river systems, and it is toured mostly via foot along with a river boat ride and a white water rapids ride.

Amazon
The largest of all the zones, it is viewed by a combination of walking trails and a slow boat ride. The exhibits are:

- "Sunken Forest", with Arapaima, Manatee, Giant Otter; (on foot only)
- "Squirrel Monkey Forest", a walk-thru exhibit; (on foot only)
- "Amazon River Quest", slow boat ride through open displays of Tapir, Capybara, Howler Monkey, Maned Wolf, Giant Anteater, Guanaco, Coati, Golden Lion Tamarin, Marsh Birds (a 'cruise-thru' aviary), Jaguar (some sort of glass tunnel); (by boat only)
- Some individual exhibits - Macaw, Anaconda, Toucan, Ocelot, Dwarf Caiman (on foot only)

Sungei Temasek
A 'fantasy' river depicting wildlife that was once common in Singapore. Consists of a walking trail with Malayan Tiger, Prevost Squirrel, Reticulated Python and Mousedeer; and a white water rapids thrill ride with a partial view of the tigers.

The zones below are viewed on foot only -

Frozen Tundra
Polar Bear, Wolverine and Raccoon Dog in a climate-controlled enclosure.

Rivers of the World
A gallery-type display with aquariums/vivariums, with the focus largely on fish. The rivers depicted are Nile, Congo, Ganges, Mekong, Mississippi, Murray and Yangtze.

Giant Panda Habitat
Following on from the Yangtze display will be the climate-controlled Giant Panda habitat which may also house Red Panda.


The cost of the park is approximately $130 million US dollars. Construction and labour costs are much, much lower in this part of the world.
 
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@Zooish: thanks for the wealth of information that you have on Singapore's latest and greatest wildlife attraction. I love reading all of your updates, and I continue to eagerly anticipate one day travelling to the region.:)
 
Polar bears don't seem to fit the theme, but since they are being moved there from the Singapore Zoo to a bigger climate-controlled habitat, it must be a good thing.

The fact that you cannot see jaguars, etc except on the boat is a bit troubling though. But overall I am sure it will be great, as their two existing parks appear to be the best in Asia (from what I have seen online).
 
An aquarium stocked with giant Mekong catfish would be quite a sight, has to be a huge tank, for some potentially enormous fish
 
I hope the Mekong catfish and stingrays will be in (huge) aquariums and not in pools or "rivers", because then they will probably be largely invisible (as is the case with the arapaima at the Singapore Zoo)
 
Sounds really exciting however I am not to sure about having arctic animals entirely indoors? Especially polar bears.
 
Zooish said:
Rivers of the World
A gallery-type display with aquariums/vivariums, with the focus largely on fish. The rivers depicted are Nile, Congo, Ganges, Mekong, Mississippi, Murray and Yangtze.
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any chance you know a species list for this section? There are some great possibilities, and I suppose the intention will be for large spectacular species (eg, tigerfish, mahseer, Murray cod, paddlefish, that sort of thing; as well as the Mekong cats and stingrays)
 
I've been doing some googling, looking for more info on the river safari but there's not much out there other than what Zooish has already provided (although I did find one site that said there would be 5000 specimens representing 500 species, which does make more sense than 1500 specimens)

However I did find a recent article (26 April) about the raccoon dogs that will be on exhibit
Japan's cute and furry raccoon dogs come to Singapore | CNNGo.com
They look like raccoons, are cute as buttons with furry coats to make Cruella de Vil swoon. A pair of tanukis, which are a subspecies of raccoon dogs native to Japan, will make their home in Singapore as part of an exchange program between Wildlife Reserves Singapore (the folks who run the Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo) and Asahiyama Zoo in Japan. They're named Pom and Poko and will be housed at a permanent exhibit in the upcoming River Safari river-themed park.

Tanukis have been a part of Japan’s folklore since ancient times but because of their silky coats, they are hunted by furriers and have been commercially farmed since 1928. Even today, raccoon dogs are reportedly bred in cruel conditions and are often skinned alive, which led to global campaigns against the use of raccoon dog fur in fashion.

Pom and Poko will be some of the star attractions at River Safari -- a S$140 million river-themed park which is slated to open later this year. This new park will be carved out of the 89-hectare compound of the Zoo and Night Safari, and house some animals from those two attractions. It will also have boat rides, displays of freshwater habitats, and some new species.

In the meantime, Pom and Poko are under quarantine and being monitored as they acclimatize to their new environments.
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About the polar bears part, I agree that they don't quite fit, but as Arizona Docent put it, ANY improvement over the present (bad) enclosure is a good thing! Unfortunately with the hot and humid climate in Singapore, indoors is the most ideal for the bears; even the pandas have to stay indoors. I only hope that the enclosures will be designed to allow natural light in.

@Chlidonias: The official word from Wildlife Reserves Singapore puts the number of specimens at 5,000 (mostly small fish i would presume). And I'm quite sure the fish will be put in glass aquariums. I don't have the species list yet, but what you quoted sounds reasonable ("Mississippi" will likely be anchored by an Alligator Gar display since they have quite a few 3 foot long specimens at the Zoo already; and the plan was to acquire Chinese Sturgeons for "Yangtze", although I'm not sure if that will materialise).

Check out the Singapore gallery for a look at the park layout :)
 
A bit more info from graphic-panels shown to the media during the groundbreaking ceremony, the highlighted species for the respective river zones:

Mississippi - Alligator Gar, Snapping Turtle, (possibly) Beaver
Congo - Dwarf Crocodile, Lungfish
Ganges - Gharial
Mekong - Giant Catfish, Giant Stingray, Crab-eating Macaque
Murray - Barramundi
Yangtze - Chinese Alligator, Giant Salamander, Sturgeon, Golden Pheasant, Red Panda
 
There are no barramundi in the Murray-Darling river system. They are from northern river systems.
 
CGSwans said:
There are no barramundi in the Murray-Darling river system. They are from northern river systems.
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I thought so too. But the picture shown was definitely barramundi. Could be graphics designer's error, or just as likely that the park is conveniently lumping all Australian species into the "Murray" zone :rolleyes:
 
a new press release from yesterday here: Singapore Zoos Parent Company Opens Asias First River Themed Wildlife Park Zoo and Aquarium Visitor News
Singapore - Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), the parent company of award-winning attractions Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, Singapore Zoo and the upcoming River Safari, celebrates a significant milestone today with the ground-breaking of Asia’s first river-themed wildlife park.

River Safari, which will be the world’s largest repository of fresh water animals and many critically endangered animals like the giant panda, marks a new chapter of growth for the 10-year-old company, bringing it closer to its vision of being the foremost wildlife institution in the world.

WRS’ three attractions – Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo – attracted 3.6 million visitors in 2009, and the numbers have been growing every year. These parks rank among the best leisure destinations in Singapore and are well-known for their successful captive breeding programmes for endangered species such as the Bali mynah, Asian elephant and orangutan.

“We aim to offer the best wildlife experience in Asia and part of this effort is the expansion of our unique product offerings,” said Ms Claire Chiang, WRS’ Chair. “Being a first in Asia, River Safari will not only bring the rich biodiversity of the freshwater systems around the world right to our doorstep, it will be home to many endangered and threatened species, which we hope to preserve through our captive breeding programmes.”

Built at a cost of S$180 million, River Safari is expected to draw at least 820,000 visitors annually. The 12-hectare park located between the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari in Mandai, is scheduled to open in the first half of 2012, and will house one of the world’s largest collections of freshwater aquatic animals, with more than 300 plant species, 500 animal species and over 5,000 individual animal specimens.

Comprising boat rides and displays of freshwater habitats of the famous rivers of the world like the Mississippi, Congo, Nile, Ganges, Murray, Mekong and Yangtze, the River Safari will provide a close-up, multi-sensory experience for visitors. For example, the indigenous wildlife at the Amazon River will be showcased at the Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit, which will be home to deadly river creatures like the anaconda and electric eel, as well as the elusive giant river otter, one of the most endangered animals in South America.

One of the star attractions – the giant pandas – will live in a specially designed, climate-controlled exhibit along the “Yangtze River”. Different species of bamboo, which is the panda’s staple diet, will be planted throughout this 1,600 sqm landscaped enclosure. Sheba and Inuka, the Singapore Zoo’s pair of mother-and-son polar bears, will also have a new home at River Safari’s Frozen Tundra, which comprises over 1,400 sqm of living space that will mirror conditions in the Arctic. Other animals like the tanuki, a raccoon dog native to Japan, will join the polar bears at this new exhibit, which will feature permafrost, frozen caves, and icy pools of water.

“Biodiversity in freshwater habitats is disappearing at a faster rate than marine and forest environments. By bringing visitors up close to the fascinating underwater animals and terrestrial animals that live in such ecosystems, we aim to highlight how our survival is dependent on their well-being,” said Ms Fanny Lai, WRS’ Group CEO. “We expect people to be awed by many of these strange and interesting fresh water creatures including the ‘giants’ of river habitats. These include the giant catfish and the giant freshwater stingray from Mekong river, giant river otters from Amazon river; and not forgetting the giant pandas from China. All of these charismatic animals are disappearing at an alarming rate due to habitat destruction.

The ground-breaking ceremony this morning will be held at one of the actual development sites fronting the reservoir and will be graced by Mr S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, and Education.
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Looks promising. A bit surprised by how they can squeeze it between Night Safari and Singapore Zoo. Can't wait to see the pandas, Inuka and Sheba in their new exhibits and take the unique boat ride!
 
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