Mandai Wildlife Reserve welcomed 998 babies across 143 species in 2024.
34 of the species are listed as threatened under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
These include the critically endangered woylie, and vulnerable species such as the giant anteater and West Indian manatee.
Singapore Zoo
Singapore Zoo celebrated the births of five slender-tailed meerkat pups – twins residing at the Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia and triplets at Wild Africa.
It's the first births of the species since 2019.
Image from Mandai Wildlife Group
Putri, a proboscis monkey whose name means ‘princess’ in the Malay and Indonesian languages, was also one of the newcomers.
Image from Mandai Wildlife Group
There were also two new Goeldi’s monkeys – the first infants in nine years – along with four ring-tailed lemurs and two emperor tamarins.
The endangered golden mantella and black-legged poison frog were among the key breeding successes for the reptiles.
This is because the species require very specific water conditions to breed.
Another key breeding effort focused on the Chrisangi leaf insect, a species native to Singapore, to establish an assurance colony as a safeguard against extinction and support conservation efforts.
Night Safari
At the Night Safari, there were three new Malayan sambar deer, five barasinghas, and a male hog deer, all of which have settled into their free-ranging habitats along the Safari Tram Adventure route.
Image from Mandai Wildlife Group
Image from Mandai Wildlife Group
The arrival of three Turkmenian markhor kids also marked a milestone as the first offspring for the species in five years.
Image from Mandai Wildlife Group
Meanwhile, keepers also welcomed a male woylie at the Tasmanian Devil Trail. This is the fifth joey of this critically endangered species born at Night Safari since 2021.
River Wonders
At River Wonders, a giant anteater pup and a West Indian manatee calf were the new arrivals.
Image from Mandai Wildlife Group
River Wonders also successfully bred the endangered Lake Titicaca frog in the same year it was first exhibited.
The blue discus, a tropical fish native to South America, saw 80 new members joining the school.
Bird Paradise
Other notable hatchings at Bird Paradise include first-time hatchlings such as the blue-winged leafbird, Madagascar teal, and Meller’s duck as well as the first Nyasa lovebird and green honeycreeper hatchlings in over seven years.
They also celebrated their first-ever penguin hatchlings with two gentoo penguin chicks.
Image from Mandai Wildlife Group
Top photo from Mandai Wildlife Reserve
