Baby boom at Singapore's wildlife parks includes first penguin chicks, endangered species

SINGAPORE: Nearly 1,000 animals were born or hatched at four of Singapore's wildlife parks last year, providing an added boost for species under threat.

A total of 998 newborns from 143 species were collectively welcomed at Bird Paradise, Night Safari, River Wonders and the Singapore Zoo, said Mandai Wildlife Group on Thursday (Mar 27). 

This is higher than the 970 babies across 128 species recorded in 2023, which the group previously said was the highest tally of births and hatchings in the past decade. 

“With each new arrival, we reinforce our commitment to maintaining sustainable populations in our parks and contributing to long-term conservation efforts,” said Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, Deputy CEO and Chief Life Sciences Officer of Mandai Wildlife Group.

The group said in a media release that 34 of the species recorded in 2024 are listed as threatened under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. 

This includes critically endangered ones like the woylie and vulnerable species such as the giant anteater and West Indian manatee. 

Of the 143 species successfully bred last year, 23 are part of internationally managed breeding programs like the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria’s Ex-situ Programme.

These initiatives aim to maintain genetically healthy and sustainable populations under human care while also supporting conservation efforts in the wild, according to the release. 

BIRD PARADISE

Bird Paradise welcomed its first penguin hatchlings, with three gentoo penguin chicks.

Two of them were from first-time parents, Riki and Peach.

Their chicks were hatched two days apart, according to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve website, which noted that this marked an important milestone, indicating that the gentoos are thriving in their purpose-built cold saltwater habitat. 

The Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove at Bird Paradise is home to four species of penguins - gentoo, Humboldt, king and northern rockhopper.

"All three chicks have begun to sport adult plumage and can be seen waddling around their habitat, with their parents following closely behind," said Mandai Wildlife Group. 

Blue-winged leafbirds, Madagascar teals and Meller’s ducks also marked another first for the wildlife parks, with Nyasa lovebird and green honeycreeper hatchlings making an appearance for the first time in over seven years. 

Further adding to the population of threatened species were six Victoria crowned pigeon chicks.

Other additions were numerous hatchlings of high conservation significance, including the golden parakeet and the yellow mantled chattering lory.

"To ensure their survival, eggs that were neglected or abandoned in the aviaries were safely retrieved and incubated at the breeding and research centre," said the group.

Newly hatched chicks are then hand-raised and gradually exposed to varying temperature and humidity conditions, ultimately preparing them for their release into larger aviary settings.

RIVER WONDERS

A giant anteater pup and a West Indian manatee calf were born under the ex-situ programme. 

The calf was bottle-fed by aquarists and tended to round-the-clock as no nursing behaviour was observed from its mother, said the group. 

Other successes were the endangered Lake Titicaca frog, which was bred within the same year it was first exhibited, and the blue discus, a tropical fish native to South America, with over 80 joining the school.

SINGAPORE ZOO

Singapore Zoo welcomed five slender-tailed meerkat pups, the first births of the species since 2019. The twins can be found at the Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia while the triplets are housed in Wild Africa.

Adding to the list is a Linne’s two-toed sloth, three oriental small-clawed otters and two emperor tamarins. 

The group also highlighted the arrival of a proboscis monkey, as its species is classified as endangered due to habitat loss from deforestation.

Two Goeldi’s monkeys, the first in nine years, along with four ring-tailed lemurs further grew the zoo's primate family. 

In reptile and amphibian breeding efforts, Singapore Zoo bred the endangered golden mantella and black-legged poison frog.

The animal care team fine-tuned water conditions and simulated seasonal changes to improve success, with 31 golden mantella hatchlings recorded - the highest in three years.

Additionally, efforts were made to establish an assurance colony for the Chrisangi leaf insect, a species native to Singapore that was only discovered in 2017, to safeguard against extinction.

“It can reproduce parthenogenetically, meaning that females can lay eggs without mating, producing clones of themselves,” said the group.

NIGHT SAFARI

Three Malayan sambar deer, five barasinghas, and a hog deer joined the Night Safari and have been introduced to the free-ranging habitats along the Safari Tram Adventure route.

Three Turkmenian markhor kids were also born, the species’ first offspring in five years. 

Over at the Tasmanian Devil Trail, keepers welcomed a woylie. This is the fifth joey of the critically endangered species since 2021.