Mandai Wildlife Group is working with other zoos to exchange and pair up its tigers for breeding. All three Malayan tigers at its newest park are male. - The Straits Times/ANN
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): When Rainforest Wild Asia opens to the public in March, visitors will get the chance to not only glimpse the wildlife that can be found in the region’s rainforests, but also learn about ongoing efforts to keep them thriving in the wild.
With three in four species in the park threatened with extinction, they serve as “ambassador species” that can help visitors be more aware of threats that these animals face in the wild, said Cecilia Tang, curator for animal care at Mandai Wildlife Group.
During a visit to the park, visitors will learn about the ongoing efforts to ensure these species survive in the face of these threats. Mandai Wildlife Group contributes to such efforts by funding programmes to conserve animals in the wild, rolling out breeding programmes and raising awareness.
“Through Rainforest Wild Asia, we want to raise awareness not only about these animals, but also the critical threats the species face in the wild,” said Ms Tang. The conservation status of the animals is displayed on information boards.
When the Rainforest Wild Asia opens to the public in March, visitors will not only get the chance to glimpse the wildlife that can be found in the region’s rainforests, but also learn about the ongoing efforts to keep them thriving in the wild. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
“There will be interpretive displays designed to educate visitors about the animals and the importance of rainforest ecosystems. We will also have ranger talks sharing about the projects that we are supporting to protect the animals in the wild,” she said.
Wildlife plays an essential role in maintaining the balance of nature, ensuring the growth of forests, pollination of plants and regulation of species population, said Ms Tang.
“They’re all part of the intricate cycle of life that keeps our planet thriving... Without them, our ecosystems would collapse.”
There are a total of 36 species at Rainforest Wild Asia, Mandai Wildlife Group’s fifth wildlife park after the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, River Wonders and Bird Paradise.
The animals there are found in the South-east Asian region, and none of them was sourced from wild populations.
The park will house two species new to Singapore: Francois’ langur, one of the world’s rarest monkeys, and the Philippine spotted deer. Both are endangered. Mandai Wildlife Group received them from other zoological institutions as part of being in more than 160 internationally managed species programmes to help save threatened species.
The group is also working on the potential breeding of animals like the Malayan tiger, the Philippine spotted deer and the red dhole (Asian wild dog).
For example, to help establish a sustainable population of the critically endangered Malayan tiger, Mandai Wildlife Group is working with other zoos to exchange and pair up its tigers for breeding. All three Malayan tigers at its newest park are male.
Mandai Wildlife Group leads the Seaza Species Management Programme for the Malayan sun bear – which is also found in Rainforest Wild Asia. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
According to conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature, there are fewer than 150 Malayan tigers in the wild.
Mandai Wildlife Group leads the Seaza Species Management Programme for the Malayan sun bear – which is also found in Rainforest Wild Asia.
The species coordinator in charge, who is from Mandai Wildlife Group, consolidates and manages the data of all the bears across the different zoological institutions that are members of Seaza.
Seaza is an association of zoos and aquariums mostly in South-east Asia working on improving animal welfare, biodiversity conservation and public awareness.
Mandai Wildlife Group will then do genetic analyses and recommend suitable pairing of animals for breeding. This allows for a diverse mix of genetic pools without the need to take animals from the wild.
The group also supports conservation efforts by funding local groups working to protect species in their natural habitats through its conservation arm, Mandai Nature. A portion of the revenue from the parks is used to support conservation projects in Singapore and the region, said Mandai Wildlife Group.
For example, to help save the critically endangered southern river terrapin, which is found in Cambodia and Malaysia and once thought to be extinct, Mandai Nature funds efforts undertaken by the Wildlife Conservation Society Cambodia. This includes the building of a centre for breeding and headstarting efforts for the terrapins.
Eight Bali mynas, all of which were bred in Jurong Bird Park and Bird Paradise, can be found at Rainforest Wild Asia.PHOTO: MANDAI WILDLIFE GROUP
Headstarting is a conservation method to raise the young of an endangered species under human care until they reach a certain size or stage of life where they are less vulnerable to predators, before releasing them back into the wild.
This helps to significantly increase their chances of survival compared with if they were left entirely in the wild from birth.
By having a stake in these programmes, Mandai Wildlife Group can also exchange information and knowledge with their counterparts on certain species. At times, keepers from the group will be sent over to facilitate conservation efforts like setting up facilities.
Mandai Nature also supports Indonesian foundation Begawan to reverse the population decline of the critically endangered Bali myna in Indonesia.
Eight of these birds, all of which were bred in Jurong Bird Park and Bird Paradise, are also at Rainforest Wild Asia.
Visitors can also attend talks at the park where rangers will share more about the species and the initiatives to help conserve them. Besides these talks being educational, Mandai Wildlife Group hopes that they can spark visitors’ interest in volunteering at these initiatives.
“We hope to use this park as a stepping stone to bring more awareness to South-east Asian biodiversity, where urgent conservation is needed,” said Ms Tang.
“Once these species are lost, it means they are gone forever.” - The Straits Times/ANN
