Singapore Zoo, 2005

One of the best zoos in the world

The entrance in 2005. It has changed since then [see here].

One of the most memorable things from my first trip to Asia and first trip to Singapore was visiting the Singapore zoo (新加坡动物园). I actually seldom go to zoos. Probably that one in Singapore was my second time ever visiting one. I remember we went to the Zagreb zoo in Croatia in 1988 and I was really young at that time. So this one in Singapore was my first visit of a zoo as an adult. I was there with my ex girlfriend and we had a nice stroll around the exhibits. Many say it's probably one of the best zoos in the world. It's big and clean and you have a feeling that the animals are free. Usually there are no visible fences and so when you walk, you think you're not in a zoo, but in a jungle. Somehow they hid the fences so well behind some plants, it's just amazing. Of course the dangerous wild animals are visibly fenced, but most others aren't. See some photos of the Singapore zoo from Jan, 2005:

Most walkways are made of tropical wood here. Looks awesome.

This guy was very curious.

I didn't feed them, but maybe I teased them, because I finished a banana.

The orangutans were pretty happy here.

Somehow I would not be brave enough to ride one of these fatsos.

A curious manatee? No, it's a dugong.

Penguins were curious, too.

Where are their heads?

Love his highlights.

Singapore zoo is definitely worth a visit, if you go to Singapore. I'm sure a lot of things have change since then, so you better check their website. Singapore, although a small island state with lack of real nature, tries to preserve what's left of it. Besides visiting the zoo during the day, I recommend you to see the night safari (a nocturnal zoo) and the Jurong Bird park, a huge landscaped park with many kinds of birds. Singapore definitely offers something for nature and animal lovers, even though it's a heavily urbanized country.

[My Singapore page][All photos by MKL, 2005]