Close to 400 babies born and hatched in Singapore’s wildlife parks in 2020

If you need a Thursday pick-me-up, here's some reason to smile. Wildlife Reserves Singapore revealed that almost 400 babies were born across our four wildlife parks last year. Of these newborns, 29 species are listed as threatened under the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Standouts among these cuties include the twin Malayan tiger cubs. Born in the Night Safari at the close of 2020, they add a significant boost to dwindling population numbers – currently, only 150 individuals from this subspecies live in the wild. These little miracles are the first Malayan tigers to be born at Wildlife Reserves Singapore since 1988 too.

The Night Safari also welcomed the 33rd addition to its Malayan tapir family, another threatened species on the IUCN's Red List. Thanks to his cute looks, Bintang (meaning 'star') became something of a social media celebrity when he was born on June 29 last year.

It's also been a bumper crop at the Singapore Zoo. Notable births include twin red ruffed lemurs and a Celebes crested macaque called Joyo. You can catch these critically endangered primates swinging about their exhibits at the zoo. Do stop by RepTopia to pay seven newborn black-legged poison frogs a visit too – these deadly creatures face critical challenges of habitat destruction and illegal pet trading.

"A key goal of breeding wildlife in our parks is to achieve sustainable populations of species under human care. These animals act as ambassadors for their wild counterparts, connecting people with wildlife and help us tell their story through community engagement and education. Depending on species and circumstances, these zoo-born progenies may also serve as assurance colonies that could one day be used to strengthen wild populations,” said Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, Deputy CEO and Chief Life Sciences Officer, Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

There are many other newborns to catch at our wildlife parks, across species like the red-fronted macaw at the Jurong Bird Park, the Goodfellow's tree kangaroo at Singapore Zoo, the West Indian manatee at River Safari and the three-banded armadillo at Night Safari. Check out wrs.com.sg to find out more about their conservation breeding efforts and to book a visiting slot. 

RECOMMENDED: The best places to spot wildlife in Singapore