Getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city to reconnect with Mother Nature in skyscraper-heavy Singapore is no easy task. Sure, there are places like Mandai Bird Paradise but competing with the crowds of locals and tourists ain’t fun either.
Enter Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm, an under-the-radar sanctuary – it’s actually the last crocodile farm in Singapore. From crocodile feeding shows to witnessing crocodile hatchlings, here’s what you can expect if you’re visiting the tour.
Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm is only accessible via advanced group tour bookings, made on the Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm Tour app. Each tour will last around 1 hour, give or take 15 minutes.
Image credit: Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm via Facebook
For just $22/pax, you can get the guided farm tour and learn everything there is to know about these reptiles. Children below the age of 3 years old can tag along for free.
As part of the tour, you can learn the anatomy of a crocodile, how their skin is preserved for the market and see key life stages of a crocodile IRL, from their mealtimes to a new hatchling. As a general rule, visitors should not put their fingers or hands in between the cages for safety reasons.
To kick things off, head over to the breeding ground housing 100 crocodiles. Not only will you see them sunbathing and laying their eggs, but mealtimes are a spectacle as well, where they will likely tussle with one another for their share of raw chicken.
Smaller enclosures are covered with some alligators, caiman, and gharials – different reptilian breeds, of which the latter is critically endangered.
Image credit: Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm via Facebook
You may even get a chance to feed the crocs yourselves, under the personnel’s supervision, of course. Have fun hauling raw pieces of chicken for them to feast.
Image credit: Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm via Facebook
If you’re lucky enough, you can also witness firsthand the hatching of baby crocodiles and their incubation tanks. Even if it doesn’t occur during your visit, you will at least get to feel and see unfertilised crocodile eggs.
If you’re truly the adventurous kind who likes to experiment with exotic foods, you can even try crocodile meat from the farm. Simply buy it from Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm’s website or have a taste after the tour, where a free sample of herbal soup with some crocodile meat is served. It is licensed by the Singapore Food Agency so it’s 100% legit, albeit not for the faint-hearted.
Image credit: Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm via Facebook
1kg of frozen crocodile flank meat will cost you $40 and 250g of frozen crocodile tail meat will set you back $10. Other types of meat for sale are the 280g crocodile meat loin bone ($10) and 1kg frozen crocodile meat bone ($15). You can cook the meat however you want, whether it’d be stewed, stir-fried or grilled. But perhaps you’d want Mum’s approval first.
Image credit: Carousell
You can even fight physical signs of ageing with their 100% pure crocodile oil ($70). Naturally extracted, the oil is recommended for use a couple of times a week to brighten up your skin and keep it hydrated.
Image credit: Prijs Beer via Google Maps
If you’re a nature lover, you probably have visited Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve before; Long Kuan Crocodile Farm is just a stone’s throw away. Hop on the MRT to Marsiling Station, then take bus 925M from Opposite Marsiling Station to the farm directly.
Ah, an age-old question even adults can’t answer. Well, crocodiles have a V-shaped snout whereas alligators have a U-shaped one. Just remember the “see u later, alligator” phrase.
Also, crocodiles are green, while alligators are grey. Another difference is that crocodiles’ teeth can be seen on both the top and bottom jaws, while alligators’ teeth are only spotted on the top.
So, the next time you want to reconnect with Mother Nature and her animals, visit Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm and learn more about these creatures up close, instead of from yet another Nat Geo episode. It is also a good idea for a family-friendly June holiday activity, if you have kids in desperate need to get off their devices.
For more Mother Nature-related articles, check out:
Cover Image adapted from: Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm via Facebook
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