Jurong Bird Park

Jurong Bird Park is an aviary and tourist attraction in Jurong, Singapore. The bird park covers an area of 0.2 square kilometres (49 acres) on the western slope of Jurong Hill, the highest point in the Jurong region. It is one of the parks managed by Mandai Wildlife Reserve the makers of Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, Singapore and River Wonders.

Jurong Bird Park
Date opened3 January 1971 (1971-01-03)
LocationJurong, Singapore
2 Jurong Hill, Singapore 628925
(1971–2022)
Mandai, Singapore
80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826 (2022 onwards)
Coordinates1°19′05″N 103°42′26″E
Land area20.2 ha (50 acres)
No. of animals12,000[1]
No. of species500[1]
Annual visitors768,933 (FY 2019/20)[2]
OwnerMandai Wildlife Reserve
Public transit access 194
Location
Websitewww.mandai.com/en/jurong-bird-park

Wildlife Reserves Singapore reported on 1 June 2016 that in 2020, Jurong Bird Park would be relocated to Mandai Lake Road with a new name for the Bird Park.[3][4] However, due to impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, the move was pushed back to 2022.

On 13 October 2021, the Mandai Wildlife Group announced that the park's successor in Mandai would be named Bird Paradise.[5]

History
American flamingo at Jurong Bird Park

The idea of a permanent aviary was first conceived by the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, then Minister for Finance, in 1968. During a World Bank meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Dr Goh visited its zoological garden and was impressed with its free-flight aviary. He set out to ensure that Singaporeans would have a place where they could escape from urban life and relax with nature.[6][7]

Work on the aviary started in January 1969.[8] A 35-acre site on the western slope of Bukit Peropok in Jurong was chosen for the project. The bird park was expected to be completed by the end of 1969.[9]

On 3 January 1971, Jurong Bird Park, built at a cost of S$3.5 million, was opened to the public.[10]

Jurong Bird Park is now a world-famous bird zoo where there are specimens of magnificent bird life from around the world, including a large flock of flamingos. It is currently the world's largest bird park in terms of the number of birds, and second largest both in the number of bird species and land area (after Germany's Weltvogelpark Walsrode). There are 5,000 birds of 400 species in Jurong Bird Park, of which 29 are of threatened species.[1]

In 2006, Jurong Bird Park completed a S$10 million makeover. As a result of the upgrade, the park got a new entrance plaza, a park-owned and managed Bongo Burgers restaurant, an ice cream parlour, a gift shop and a bird hospital.[11]

Exhibits

Penguin Coast

Flamingo Pool

Flamingo Lake

Heliconia Walk

Raptor Retirement Aviary

Royal Ramble

Window on Paradise

Wings of Asia

Wetlands

Hornbills and Toucans

Birds of Prey

Pelican Cove

African Treetops

Lory Loft

Dinosaur Descandants

Waterfall Aviary

Parrot Paradise

Others

Aside from birds, the park also housed some other species of animals in later years to increase the number visitors, though have stopped again to preserve the title of being a bird-only zoo.

In addition, the escapees of the now-defunct Jurong Reptile Park currently reside in the park as well.

Awards

Awarded to Jurong Bird Park:[12]

  • Michelin 2-star rating, 2008
  • Conservation & Research Award, International Symposium on Breeding Birds in Captivity, 2006 and 2007
  • Excellence Award, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Tourism Association, 2004 and 2007
  • Best Loved Pro-Family Business, Singapore, 2006
  • Superstar Winner of the Excellent Service Awards, Singapore Tourism Board, 2004
  • Tourism Host of the Year, Singapore Tourism Board, 2003
  • Breeders Award, American Pheasant and Waterfowl Society, 2001
  • Highly Commended, Tourism For Tomorrow International Awards, 1993
  • First Breeders Award by the American Pheasant & Waterfowl Society, 2001

Transportation

Jurong Bird Park is not currently served directly by any MRT line, with the nearest station being Boon Lay MRT station.

There is a bus service operated by SBS Transit which calls at the bus stop outside the park.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Park experience". Jurong Bird Park.
  2. "WRS Yearbook 2018/2019" (PDF). Wildlife Reserves Singapore.
  3. "Mandai Area Set for Major Redevelopment". Today. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  4. "Mandai nature precinct will house two new wildlife parks". Channel NewsAsia. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  5. "River Safari, Jurong Bird Park renamed in Mandai Wildlife Group rebranding". TODAYonline. Retrieved 13 October 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. "Goh tells why the bird park was built". The Straits Times. 4 January 1971. pp. 15–16. Retrieved 1 June 2016 – via NewspaperSG.
  7. "Sociologists Have a Point, Says Dr. Goh". Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  8. Yeo, Toon Joo (3 January 1969). "Work on $1 mil. aviary at Jurong". The Straits Times. p. 6. Retrieved 1 June 2016 – via NewspaperSG.
  9. "Ready by end of year: Jurong's Bird Park". The Straits Times. 11 August 1969. p. 11. Retrieved 1 June 2016 – via NewspaperSG.
  10. "Dr. Goh Opens Park". The Straits Times. 4 January 1971. p. 1. Retrieved 1 June 2016 – via NewspaperSG.
  11. "The pecking order". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 March 2007.
  12. "Accreditation and accolades". Wildlife Reserves Singapore. Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  13. "Getting Here". Mandai Wildlife Group.

Bibliography
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