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Singapore's first panda cub was only one of many newborns that Singapore's four wildlife parks welcomed last year.

Baby boom in 2021

Mandai Wildlife Group collectively welcomed 900 newborns in 2021, which is almost double the number in 2020, said the Mandai Wildlife Group in a press release.

Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, River Wonders and Singapore Zoo saw births from across 160 species.

44 of these species were listed as threatened under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Here are some of the more charismatic species which saw additions to their families in 2021.

Sunda slow loris

A baby Sunda slow loris was born on Christmas Day last year at Night Safari.

The species is native to Southeast Asia, and listed as endangered.

The species is dwindling in the wild, threatened by the growing demand in the illegal pet trade and its supposed healing properties in traditional medicine.

African painted dogs

A litter of four African painted dogs joined the pack in Singapore Zoo after a 16-year hiatus.

Globally endangered, the species are named for their tri-coloured coats.

The dogs are Africa's most threatened large carnivore, at risk due to human encroachment.

Grevy's zebras

The largest and most endangered zebra species in the world welcomed a new foal in September last year in Singapore Zoo.

Managed by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria Endangered Species Programme, the Grevy's zebras in Singapore contribute to the "global ex-situ conservation efforts of this highly threatened species", said the press release.

Native to Kenya and Ethiopia, there are only around 3,000 Grevy's zebras left in the wild.

Negros bleeding-heart dove

Jurong Bird Park welcomed three male and female pairs of critically endangered Negros bleeding-heart doves from the Philippine Island of Negros in September 2021.

Jurong Bird Park and Mandai Nature partnered with Talarak Foundation Inc (TFI) in Negros Forest Park, Bacolod City, Philippines to set up this breeding programme, the first of its kind outside the Philippines.

Additionally, the Jurong Bird Park is the only zoological institution to hold this species.

The first chick hatched in November last year, and it also happens to be the only hatchling outside of its native country.

The programme welcomed another two chicks earlier this year.

Straw-headed bulbuls

Straw-headed bulbuls are critically endangered birds that are native to Singapore.

The species used to be common in Southeast Asia, but fell victim to the caged-bird trade due to their melodic voices.

Here is one of three hatchlings in Jurong Bird Park:

Golden mantellas

70 endangered Golden mantellas hatched in Singapore Zoo's RepTopia last year.

The bright yellow amphibians are endemic to central-eastern Madagascar.

False gharial

For the first time, Singapore Zoo managed to breed the False gharial, or Tomistoma.

It is a threatened species of crocodile in Southeast Asia, and is notoriously difficult to breed as it requires very specific breeding conditions.

Sakishima grass lizards

A pair of Sakishima grass lizards also hatched last year.

The endangered species was once abundant in the Southern islands of Japan, but reproduces slowly as females lay clutches of only one or two eggs.

Giant panda cub, Le Le

Singapore's beloved Giant panda pair, Kai Kai and Jia Jia, also gave birth to Singapore's first panda cub Le Le, who was born on Aug. 14, 2021.

Le Le has since been meeting visitors at his nursery in River Wonders since Dec. 30, 2021.

 

Top images by Mandai Wildlife Group.