Singapore Zoo Where to see wild animals on Singapore Zoo grounds

[splendens]

Hello, sorry if this message isn't allowed on this thread, but does anybody have any tips on seeing wild animals on zoo grounds?
I’m especially interested in any herps such as draco lizards. Birds, especially kingfishers, sunbirds, and if possible buffy fish owl and spotted wood owl. And mammals like colugo. Thank you for any help and sorry for any inconvenience.

 

[LeMandaiEnthusiast‧]

With specific locations I'm not the best compared to other ZooChatters, but I'll share some of the spots I've got.

1. Kingfishers - Typically around the Gibbon Island and Primate Kingdom

2. Bulbuls - Olive-Winged Bulbuls are practically everywhere though there's a good chance to find Straw-Headed Bulbuls too. I've spotted the Straw Heads by the Pygmy Hippo enclosure (the exit from it that is closer to Australiasia's entrance) and around that pathway too during an early morning and late afternoon

3. Colugos - The main hiding spot that I'm aware of is a tree near to Ah Meng Restaurant that's close to the former Tundra. Additionally I've spotted Colugos around the Pygmy Hippo enclosure, Wild Africa, Tortoise Shell-ter and so on

4. Sunbirds - Also pretty much anywhere with flowers on my visit, the last good one I recall was by the Elephants of Asia with a male Crimson Sunbird

5. Owls - By the Proboscis Monkey enclosure was the former hiding spot of some Buffy Fish Owls, nowadays it's empty with the last sighting being Created Goshawks. Maybe it'll change for you

That's all I can do for you, wishing you the best in finding your species someday!

 

[splendens]

With specific locations I'm not the best compared to other ZooChatters, but I'll share some of the spots I've got.

1. Kingfishers - Typically around the Gibbon Island and Primate Kingdom

2. Bulbuls - Olive-Winged Bulbuls are practically everywhere though there's a good chance to find Straw-Headed Bulbuls too. I've spotted the Straw Heads by the Pygmy Hippo enclosure (the exit from it that is closer to Australiasia's entrance) and around that pathway too during an early morning and late afternoon

3. Colugos - The main hiding spot that I'm aware of is a tree near to Ah Meng Restaurant that's close to the former Tundra. Additionally I've spotted Colugos around the Pygmy Hippo enclosure, Wild Africa, Tortoise Shell-ter and so on

4. Sunbirds - Also pretty much anywhere with flowers on my visit, the last good one I recall was by the Elephants of Asia with a male Crimson Sunbird

5. Owls - By the Proboscis Monkey enclosure was the former hiding spot of some Buffy Fish Owls, nowadays it's empty with the last sighting being Created Goshawks. Maybe it'll change for you

That's all I can do for you, wishing you the best in finding your species someday!

Thank you so much for the tips! I’ll update this with what I see later.

 

[splendens]

Sadly I missed a few of my biggest targets. Couldn’t see any kingfishers or any straw-headed bulbuls.

Though I saw quite a few nice critters, 4 colugos including a mother and a baby! I also saw lesser short nosed fruit bats, plantain squirrels, potentially a slender tailed squirrel at Rainforest Wild Asia, and a troop of macaques in Night Safari.

In terms of birds I had crimson and ornate sunbirds, many olive winged bulbuls, a potential milky stork or hybrid, a crested goshawk, a peacock, oriental magpie robins, plus pink-necked green pigeon, racket tailed drongo, Asian glossy starling and pin-striped tit babbler at RFWA, and some other birds.

Saw both clouded and Malayan water monitors I believe, some geckos including a tokay and excitingly, what looked like a southern river terrapin which seems to be very rare in Singapore.

Thanks for the help finding some of them, especially the colugo!

 

[KaiGoesMandai]

If you have enough time, and you want see them in the wild, I know that there both the straw-headed bulbul and the stork-billed kingfisher are often at Hindhede Quarry. You could also try your luck at the nearby Singapore Quarry if you want, although the straw-headed bulbuls at Singapore Quarry are shyer than the ones at Hindhede. You will often hear their impressively loud songs from across the quarry. Hindhede Quarry is also more accessible, though if you want to go to Singapore Quarry, do note that there is a connection to Fuyong Interim Park that cuts down the walk greatly. However, the path doesn't show up on Google Maps.

The turtle you saw was likely a Batagur sp. that is known to hang around the Mandai zoos, but I'm not super sure what species it is. Nevertheless, great find.

 

[LeMandaiEnthusiast‧]

Thanks for the help finding some of them, especially the colugo!

Happy I could help. Definitely a surprise to hear about the Drongo. I've heard they're common on Zoo Grounds but I've sadly had no luck finding them at all

The turtle you saw was likely a Batagur sp. that is known to hang around the Mandai zoos, but I'm not super sure what species it is. Nevertheless, great find.

If I'm not mistaken it is a Southern River Terrapin, at least according to a friend who sues iNaturalist. Seen at least 2 around the Boardwalk before.

 

[splendens]

If you have enough time, and you want see them in the wild, I know that there both the straw-headed bulbul and the stork-billed kingfisher are often at Hindhede Quarry. You could also try your luck at the nearby Singapore Quarry if you want, although the straw-headed bulbuls at Singapore Quarry are shyer than the ones at Hindhede. You will often hear their impressively loud songs from across the quarry. Hindhede Quarry is also more accessible, though if you want to go to Singapore Quarry, do note that there is a connection to Fuyong Interim Park that cuts down the walk greatly. However, the path doesn't show up on Google Maps.

The turtle you saw was likely a Batagur sp. that is known to hang around the Mandai zoos, but I'm not super sure what species it is. Nevertheless, great find.

Great suggestion! I went to hindhede after a quick trip to Sungei buloh, and was able to see a pair of straw headed-bulbuls and a stork-billed kingfisher quite close together. Thank you so much!

 

[Dr. Wolverine]

I have seen Crested Goshawks, White Throated Kingfishers, and White Bellied Sea Eagles within the zoo as well. The Goshawk can be seen anywhere within the park, but it pretty much depends on luck. The eagles are usually soaring above, and are pretty common in all of Singapore. The white throated kf is just about chance but they aren't uncommon. Other birds I have seen in the park include Scarlet backed flowerpecker and Little Spiderhunter. In terms of herps, I am horrible at finding snakes but I have seen dracos around Wild Africa. My sightings of Straw Headed Bulbuls have been around Australiasia and Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia, so they might like that area of the zoo more.

 

[splendens]

I have seen Crested Goshawks, White Throated Kingfishers, and White Bellied Sea Eagles within the zoo as well. The Goshawk can be seen anywhere within the park, but it pretty much depends on luck. The eagles are usually soaring above, and are pretty common in all of Singapore. The white throated kf is just about chance but they aren't uncommon. Other birds I have seen in the park include Scarlet backed flowerpecker and Little Spiderhunter. In terms of herps, I am horrible at finding snakes but I have seen dracos around Wild Africa. My sightings of Straw Headed Bulbuls have been around Australiasia and Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia, so they might like that area of the zoo more.

Ah very lucky with the draco lizards! I looked at most trees for them and never saw a single one.