It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... B-Rex? This prehistoric-looking grey bird (note: not related to T-Rex) is one of two Shoebills (Balaeniceps rex) – the newest arrivals in Jurong Bird Park's Wetlands exhibit. The pair comes from Qatar and is reportedly the only ones in Southeast Asia under human care (translation: these strange-looking birds are pretty damn rare).
Shoebills are named for their large iconic shoe-shaped bill – a typical bill measures over 20cm in length and is marked by a sharp hook at the end for killing its prey, which is primarily fish but can sometimes include amphibians, snakes, rodents, and even baby crocodiles.
These birds are native to tropical East Africa but are facing threats such as habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade. They are classified as 'vulnerable' in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species with only 30 shoebills under human care worldwide and an estimated of 5,000 to 8,000 left remaining in the wild.
See a video of the shoebills here:
Say hi to the shoebills at Jurong Bird Park. Regular park admission charges apply.