Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Land of Giants @ Singapore Zoo X River Safari

This coming holiday, Singapore Zoo is casting the spotlight on these creatures that have no backbones this year-end holiday season with over 60 super-sized invertebrate installations. Ants magnified a million times have forged a relentless trail in Singapore Zoo, and jumping on the bug bandwagon are larger-than-life jungle nymphs, an orchid mantis and a net-casting spider among others. 

Trips to the zoo are always fun and educational. We always get to learn something new from every visit. Let us bring you on a brief tour of what we went through. Here we go !


Last week, Xav and myself had an opportunity to go on a preview of the Land of Giants Trail at Singapore Zoo.



And it was such a precious moment where we actually got the real Jungle Nymph also known as Heteropteryx dilatata, on us, it was about probably slightly less than half of my arm's length. It cleverly camouflaged itself as a piece of leaf should you be able to spot it on a potted plant.


Our learning journey this morning with @wrs.ig, we got a real treat! Zoo trips are always fun and we always leave the place learning something new! Today, we had an opportunity to uncover intriguing facts and spot those 60 super-sized invertebrate installation. We too, met a new friend #JungleNymph and got real close with it! Step into the Land of Giants this holiday season from 18 November - 31 December 2017! There are activities going on on weekends and Christmas unless otherwise stated. Be patient, I shall fill you in the details very soon! Thank you @wrs.ig for having us and thank you @theperfectfather =) #LargerThanLife #GiantsSg #Invertebrate #wrs #WildLifeReservesSingapore #ExploreSG #Singapore #Placeofinterest #SingaporeZoo #Funforkids #FamilyFun #Zoo #HolidayFun #Noschool #Mediainvite #sporemombloggers #sgparentblogger #sgmom #Momsofinstagram #sahm #Moms
A post shared by Serene Seah (@xavvylicious) on

Invertebrates make up 95 per cent of all animal species in the world, and there are probably millions of them invisible to the naked eye living in each home—yet they are rarely noticed.

While they may be small and nondescript, invertebrates have a giant impact on ecosystems, and most would collapse without them. Their abundance makes them good meals for other animals, they are pollinators of plants, recyclers of organic materials back into the earth, and many contribute as predators that control pest populations. By showcasing their amazing adaptations in a macro way, this seasonal outdoor exhibit, coupled with real life encounters of the pint-sized creatures, aims to bring across the essential roles that invertebrates play in the ecosystem.

“Invertebrates are really the giants of the ecosystem—they have amazing adaptations for communication, defence and reproduction, which have enabled them to be incredible survivors. We hope that both the larger-than-life installations and interaction sessions with the little beasts will spark greater interest in the fascinating miniature world of invertebrates, and inspire conservation efforts aimed at these often-overlooked creatures.”
Ms May Lok, Director of Education, Wildlife Reserves Singapore

Bombardier Beetle (Pheropsophus Verticalis), usuallly found in Australia, defends themselves by spraying enemies with scalding hot chemicals, as hot as 100 degree celcius from their backsides !

Bombardier Beetle

This is quite special ! Guess it's name ?! The real Orchid Mantis, needed me to be more observant to spot it. It was not pink like the installation. But it did not look like an insect at all at the first glance.

Orchid Mantis

Its legs look just like the pretty orchids ! You can have a real encounter with the Orchid Mantis too at Fragile Forest Discovery Outpost this coming holiday season. The keepers are waiting to introduce  guests to a plethora of invertebrates like Jungle Nymph, Orchid Mantis and Madagascan Hissing Cockroach.


This giant fever also spills over to the River Safari, which celebrates the majestic river-dwelling giants in its collection.


Some of the species in focus are the giant freshwater stingray and giant chinese salamanders. We were in time to watch the divers in action during feeding time!


Xav said that the giant chinese salamanders were like sloth but infact they were even lazier than sloths ! It took quite a few attempts for the keeper before the salamander decided to "vacumm" the little white mice into its mouth.


We hoped onto the Amazon River Quest as well if you managed to catch us on our live IG stories. The adorable Capybara - the world's largest rodent, were among the few we spotted on the trail.


Free activities (unless otherwise stated) happening on weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017. Check them out below ! At Singapore Zoo, you can join the following :

Land of Giants 
Activity: Step into the Land of Giants and find yourself surrounded by 60 larger-than-life vertebrates. Spot the Orchid Mantis, net-casting spider and follow the ant trail for different activity pit-stops.
Venue: Heliconia Valley
Dates: 18 November - 31 December 2017 (Daily)
Time: 8.30am to 6pm

Weaver Ants building their nest

Bug Explorer Trail 



Activity: Be a bug explorer ! Set off on an adventure and get to know the amazing abilities of insects. Complete the trail sheet to receive a set of Magic Goggles to spot invertebrate masters of disguise. 
Venue: Singapore Zoo Entrance
Dates: 18 November - 31 December 2017 (Daily) 
Time: 8.30am to 6pm

Bug Buffet Sensory Booth
Activity: Engage all your senses and discover the fascinating world of invertebrates. Stare bug-eyed at a giant millipede or try your hand at sorting stick insect eggs from their poo! 
Venue: Pavilion next to Rainforest Kidzworld
Dates: 18 November - 31 December 2017 and Christmas (Daily) 
Time: 10am to 4pm

Invertebrate Macro Photography Display
Activity: If you are curious how an insect looks up-close. This activity allows you to spend time and admire these tiny beasts and be amazed by the intricate details you would otherwise overlooked. 
Venue: Pavilion next to Rainforest Kidzworld
Dates: 18 November - 31 December 2017 and Christmas (Daily) 
Time: 8.30am to 6pm

Little Giant Puppetry Show 
Activity: Sit back and enjoy the puppetry performance starring some of the favourite invertebrates. 
Venue: Pavilion next to Rainforest Kidzworld
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 and Christmas 
Time: 12pm | 3pm

Giants Mascot Meet & Greet 


Activity: Meet Dung Beetle and Lime Butterfly Mascot for a photo opportunity. 
Venue: Entrance Plaza 
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 
Time: 10am | 12pm | 3pm

Crafty Crawly
Activity: Get your creativity going with this insect craft activity and create your very own finger puppet, clay fridge magnet and creepy crawler. 
Venue: Rainforest Courtyard
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 and Christmas
Time: 8.30am to 6pm

Little Beast Encounters
Activity: Meet a different invertebrate during each mystery encounter ! It could be a forest cockroach, stick insect or even a tarantula. 
Venue: Fragile Forest Discovery Outpost
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 and Christmas
Time: 8.30am to 6pm

Orchid Mantis (Photo credit : Wildlife Reserves Singapore)

Sticky Situation Competition
Activity: Guess the number of stick insects in a tank and stand a chance to win a behind-the-scenes tour at Fragile Forest. 
Venue: Pavilion next to Rainforest Kidzworld
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 and Christmas
Time: 10am to 4pm

Spineless Wonders Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Activity: This activity allows you to have an intimate encounter with the invertebrates at Fragile Forest! Through hands-on activities,, this behind-the-scenes experience will help you appreciate these unsung heroes of our ecosystem. 
Venue: Fragile Forest
Dates: 25 November & 2 December 2017 @ 10am | 26 November & 3 December 2017, 1 pm
Cost: $18 per person 
Capacity: 30 pax per tour
Click HERE to sign up. 

The fun continues at River Safari ! Check these out:

River Giants Explorer Trails

Activity: Embark on a self guided tour and discover the river giants ! Complete the trail sheet and be rewarded with a chance to win exclusive prizes. 
Venue: River Safari Entrance 
Dates: 18 November - 31 December 2017 (Daily)
Time: 10am to 6pm

River Talk: Giants' Encounters
Get close up with one of the largest flying birds and the world's largest rodent in this animal presentation.
Venue: Boat Plaza
Dates : 18 November - 31 December 2017 (Daily)
Time: 11.30am | 3.15pm

Bring Home A River Giant
Activity: Get crafty ! Personalize your favourite river giant and bring them home as mementoes!
Venue: Boat Plaza
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 
Time: 10am to 4pm

Canola Mascot Meet and Greet 
Activity: Meet the adorable Canola, the manatee mascot and strike a pose for a snapshot ! 
Venue: River Safari Entrance
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 
Time: 10am | 4.30pm

River Tales

Activity: A fun storytelling performance about River Giants as the characters come alive from a gigaantic storybook.  
Venue: Boat Plaza 
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 
Time: 12.30pm | 2pm

Enrichment and Feeding sessions

Activity: Be intrigued by the interesting behaviour and feeding habits of these super-sized river-dwelling inhabitants. 
Venue: Giant Freshwater Stingray 
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 
Time: 10.45 am 
Giant Freshwatwer Stingray (Photo credit: Wildlife Reserves Singapore)
Venue: Giant Salamander
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 
Time: 2.30pm



Venue: Manatee Exhibit
Dates: Weekends between 18 November - 31 December 2017 
Time: 5.30pm

Seriously, with this string of activities going on right up to the end of 2017. I guarantee you, one day is not going to be enough, we will be back!  Thank you Wildlife Reserves for having us that morning and special thanks to The "Perfect" Father.


For more information on the Land of Giants, visit http://www.zoo.com.sg/events-promos/land-of-giants.html   . You can also visit their social media pages for updates: 


ABOUT WILDLIFE RESERVES SINGAPORE
Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) is dedicated to the management of world-leading zoological institutions—Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, River Safari and Singapore Zoo—that aim to inspire people to value and conserve biodiversity by providing meaningful and memorable wildlife experiences. 

A self-funded organisation, WRS focuses on protecting biodiversity in Singapore and Southeast Asia through collaborations with like-minded partners, organisations and institutions. Each year, the four attractions welcome 4.6 million visitors. 

Mandai Park Holdings (MPH), the driving force behind the rejuvenation of Mandai into an integrated wildlife and nature heritage space, is the holding company of WRS and oversees its business and strategic development. 

Thank you for reading and if you would like to stay tune for future updates, do follow me on :

Disclaimer: We were invited to attend the media preview, no monetary compensation is involved and all opinions are of my own. 


3 comments:

Maria said...

Ahhh so cute!!! I love animals and I’m glad this zoo seems to be a good one that provides a good habitat for the animals. 🦓 🦒 🐅
I went to the Night Safari and it was awesome.
These are awesome photos and great description. 🙂
Wonderful post. Thanks for such detailed information.

Kate said...

Thanks for your post on Singapore tourist attractions. Your post inspired me to check Singapore flyer price and it offered me most enthralling experience to my family and friends to spend the vacation in the most beautiful place in the world.

Leo said...

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