Night Safari 30th anniversary new attractions
As we all know, the Mandai Wildlife Reserve is no stranger to going all out with their celebrations when the occasion calls. Just take a look at their ongoing Festive Wild-erland event happening at the Singapore Zoo and Bird Paradise that’s jam-packed with Snoopy-themed activities for the entire fam.
Well, the Night Safari is another spot that has its fair share of happenings too. The wildlife park is still celebrating its 30th anniversary which kicked off earlier this year, leading us on a nostalgic revisitation of Night Safari then versus now. Not only do the festivities remain in full swing, they’re upping the ante with a slew of new attractions to go along with the existing NS30 offerings.
Here’s all you need to know before you plan a trip to visit the park’s nocturnal inhabitants.
Meet critters native to Southeast Asia on the new Pangolin Trail
Wildlife enthusiasts rejoice; you’ll be able to catch a couple of new faces when you make your way down Night Safari’s brand new Pangolin Trail. The trail features animals native to Southeast Asia, and you’ll definitely fall in love with its diverse cast of wildlife.
Image adapted from: Mandai Wildlife Group
For starters, visitors will be able to wave hello to the stars of this trail, the Sunda Pangolins. Surprisingly, these lil guys can be found in areas surrounding the Central Catchment and Bukit Timah Nature Reserves, but they’re a pretty rare sight.
The Night Safari’s probably the best place to watch them safely scurry around in a controlled environment. After all, the park is the world’s first facility to successfully breed the Sunda Pangolin; a feat that was accomplished back in 2011.
Image credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
The Common Palm Civet is also another unlikely critter that you can find in Singapore. Unfortunately, these fruit-loving furballs are known to be caught and housed in crammed cages on civet coffee farms. At the Night Safari though, they’re left to roam freely, and since they share the same habitat with the park’s Sunda Pangolin, you might spot natural interactions between these 2 native animals.
Other species you can spot on the Pangolin Trail include the Buffy Fish Owl, Lesser Mouse Deer, and Sunda Slow Loris.
Visit Chawang in his refreshed habitat & claim free souvenirs
One animal that you can’t miss both literally and figuratively is Chawang, the Asian Bull Elephant.
Image credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Frequent visitors of the Night Safari will notice that his habitat has been given a new lease of life, as the towering herbivore can be seen sauntering from a new Bull Elephant exhibit. It’s located near Tram Station 5; get your cameras ready as the viewing deck unlocks stunning views of the majestic animal up close.
By the way, from now till 1st January 2025, you’ll be able to snag some mementos of your time here at the park by completing the Night Safari Shhh-ecret Trail. Simply complete the digital trail by visiting any 5 trail stops during your visit, and make your way to the East Lodge to redeem pins featuring the Buffy Fish Owl and Chawang himself.
While you’re at the East Lodge, visitors can pen down well wishes for the Night Safari and the fascinating animals that call it home and pin them up at the Pangolin Pledge Wall. Let your creativity run wild as you stand in solidarity with the park to support wildlife conservation.
Nearby, get your cameras out for a stunning photo point that’s also stationed at the East Lodge. It features the iconic animals of each trail at the Night Safari; a picture here will make for a sweet memento to remember your visit by. Feel free to share your snaps with the park, by tagging them at @MandaiWildlifeReserve and using the hashtag #NightSafari.
Over at the Entrance Courtyard, guests can bring home a handy lanyard by presenting a selfie taken with Chawang chilling in his new Bull Elephant exhibit at the redemption counter. Do note that both the pins and lanyards will be given out on a first come first served basis, so act quickly if you’d like to snag them for yourself.
Catch exciting feeding sessions & meet Ishani the Sri Lankan Leopard
If you’d like a better glimpse of the park’s many nocturnal inhabitants, time your visits well to coincide with the NS30 exclusive animal feedings.
Image credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Happening daily at 8.45pm from now till 1st January 2025, you’ll get to observe Sunda Pangolins munching away in their habitats. The Spotted Hyaenas will be eating good too; swing by for their feeding session at 9.45pm daily. You just might hear their signature “laughs” before you see them, as the park’s hyaenas are known to be very vocal during meals.
Image credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
The animals will be the most active during these feeding sessions, so visitors will be able to get great close-up views of them in action. The keepers will also be sharing facts about the animals, such as their diets and colourful personalities.
In case you didn’t know, Nita is the park’s most senior Sunda Pangolin and always maintains a pleasant demeanour, while Bawang is the youngest of the bunch and extremely adventurous.
Sri Lankan Leopards like Ishani are known for their golden coats and mesmerising rosette markings.
Cat lovers will also be delighted to find out that the Night Safari’s Leopard Trail has recently welcomed a new addition to their family, Ishani the Sri Lankan Leopard. These big cats are endangered, indigenous to Sri Lanka, so take this chance to pay Ishani a visit. She’s just over 2 years old, so there’ll be plenty of youthful feline antics to swoon at.
For even more photo ops, a cuddly Pangolin mascot will be making its rounds at Tram Station 1 on Fridays and Saturdays, from 8.30pm-8.45pm and 9.15pm-9.30pm, from now till 1st January 2025. But, it’ll be around daily from 20th December 2024 onwards at the same allocated timings, so everyone can have a chance to rub shoulders with the friendly figure.
Swing by the Night Safari soon for these new NS30 activities
Image credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Of course, you’ll still get to experience the other existing NS30-exclusive activities alongside these new additions. Drop in for the exhilarating Twilight Performance, happening daily at 8pm and 9pm, to see skilled fire dancers; or view memorabilia such as photographs and documents depicting the park’s storied history at the From Past to Present Milestone Wall.
As such, do set aside some time to pay a visit to the Night Safari before you jet off for the holidays; besides, can you really resist the adorable Pangolins’ beady eyes?
Learn more about the new NS30 activities
This post was brought to you by Mandai Wildlife Group.
Photography by Brad Lee.