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Publication of

MICA (P) 130/05/2010 volume

OCT – DEC $6.00

28

Resc boo… Anima

ue O Bam l Babie
fAK s…
ing…
PHOTO: BJORN OLESEN

Bamboo is the fastest growing

plant in the world. It is the main
food source for giant pandas.
These creatures spend 10 to 16
hours munching 15 to 30kg of
bamboo a day. Find out what else
eats bamboo and the many uses
of this fast growing grass on
page 20.

Wildlife Wonders aims to give you a better insight into the intriguing life forms that share Planet Earth with us. ADVISORY PANEL:
Through simple text, captivating images, light-hearted illustrations and fun facts, we hope that the publication will Fanny Lai
Isabel Cheng
Black And White Encounters (Part 1) ...................... P02
inspire and motivate you to take greater interest in caring for the fragile Earth and her inhabitants.
Animal Babies (Part 2) ............................................P06
Wildlife Wonders is a quarterly publications published by Wildlife Reserves Singapore. EDITORS:
Lok May Kuen
Biswajit Guha Role Of Zoos ..........................................................P12

WRITER:
Chat With Night Safari Head Keeper........................P18
Puvanes Balakrishnan
Bamboo ..................................................................P20
DESIGN & LAYOUT:
© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without prior permission from the publisher. Chris Sam Ngan Yin Rescue Of A King....................................................P24
Black & White
Part 1

Penguins cannot fly in the air; they walk upright in a clumsy and comical
manner on land. They fascinate us more than any other birds. Penguins are
among the most frequently featured birds in children’s story books, products
and movies.

Antarctic To Equator
There are 18 species of penguin and they are
found only in the Southern Hemisphere. Although
penguins are frequently associated with the snowy
Antarctic, most of the species live in gentler
climates where they seldom if ever see ice – in
South America, South Africa, Australia and on the
equator in the Galapagos. The emperor penguin
lives on the coast of the Antarctic continent, the
coldest place on Earth where no humans can live
permanently and the winter temperature can drop
to a record low of -89 ºC (note : for comparison,
water changes from the liquid state to ice at 0ºC).

Did You Know?

AFRICAN
PAGE 5 PENGUIN
KING PENGUIN
PAGE 4 FAIRY PENGUIN PAGE 5
White-Headed Penguins? Penguin Coast
The word ‘penguin’ is believed to You do not have to travel too
have originated from the Welsh far to enjoy the company of six
‘pen gwyn, meaning ‘white head’. different species of penguin.
It was used to refer to the extinct The upgraded Penguin Coast at
great auk that was found on a Bird Park offers you interactive
few islands in the Atlantic Ocean encounters with the penguins
and had a distinct white patch and opportunities to learn
on each side of its face. Sailors more about them. Apart from
might have mistaken penguins displaying five penguin species
for great auks, which were from the Antarctic, the sub-
flightless and had black and Antarctic, South America and
white plumage. Australia in the indoor area,
Penguin Coast also boasts an
The extinct great auk additional outdoor display of
HUMBOLD PAGE 5
African penguins. NGUIN PA
GE 5 T PENGU
IN PAGE O PPER PE
NGUIN
NI PE 5 ROCKH
MACARO 3

WHO’S WHO @ PENGUIN COAST:
KING PENGUIN
Look out for the ‘big guys’ in the
indoor habitat. The king penguin
is the second largest penguin
species, after the emperor
penguin. It can reach a height of
90cm and weigh up to 18 kg. It
lives in the freezing Antarctic and
sub-Antarctic regions. Females
produce only one egg per
clutch. Both parents take turns to
Did You Know?
The Emperor & The King
The emperor and the king penguins
are two of the largest penguin
species. The emperor is the biggest
marine bird, with a record weight
of 42.6kg and a height of 1.32m
at the chest. It has also recorded
the longest dive of 18 minutes and
deepest dive of 534 metres in the
freezing Antarctic waters!
King penguins carry their newly-
hatched chicks on their feet and
cover it with a loose skin fold
to provide warmth. Young
king penguins have
fluffy brown down
feathers.
incubate the egg by balancing it
on their feet and covering it with
a loose fold of skin. Among the
penguins, only the king and the
emperor penguins incubate their
eggs in this manner.
The emperor and king penguins
are often mistaken for one
another. One way to tell them
apart is by looking at the patterns
Emperor
penguin
PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY
of their yellowish orange
markings. The king penguin
has the brightest markings and
distinctively-shaped ear patches.
A black king penguin with faint
yellow ear patches was spotted
recently by an explorer on the
sub-Antarctic Island of South
Georgia.
King penguin
PHOTO: HEATH HOLDE
N
ROCKHOPPER PENGUIN
This is the noisiest and most
aggressive penguin species. It is
quick to attack intruders, including
humans. It lives on sub-Antarctic
islands and nests on steep, rocky
cliffs. To get to the water and
back to the nesting sites, the
rockhopper penguin hops from
boulder to boulder. It is able to
clear distances of up to 1.5 metres.
PHOTO: HEATH HOLDEN
The rockhopper penguin has bright
yellow feathers sprouting from its
eyebrows and they extend to form tufts
hanging down the side of its head.
FAIRY PENGUIN
The fairy penguin is the world’s
smallest penguin. It is also known
as the little penguin or the blue
penguin because of its greyish
blue plumage. Fairy penguins are
found in the waters off southern
Australia and New Zealand.
Those found in New Zealand
have white feathers on the
edge of their flippers and some
scientists have classified them as
a separate 18th penguin species.
PHOTO: HEATH HOLDEN
In the wild, little penguins come ashore
every evening to sleep and go out to
the sea before dawn. Tourists gather by
the hundreds to watch them arrive on
the beach.
MACARONI PENGUIN
The macaroni penguin is
found in Antarctic and the
sub-Antarctic. It is said to have
derived its name from the flashy
feathers that fashionable young
Englishmen of the 18th century
wore in their hats. In the song
‘Yankee Doodle’, reference to
the feathers was made in the
lyric ‘put a feather in his cap and
called it macaroni’.
The macaroni penguin has a ‘half
crown’ of orange feathers that forms a
continuous band on the forehead whilst
the ‘eyebrow feathers’ of the rockhopper
penguin do not meet at the forehead.
AFRICAN PENGUIN
The African penguin is also
known as the jackass penguin
because of its donkey-like
braying call during courtship. It
is found on the coast of South
Africa. The African penguin used
to be classified as a vulnerable
species but since June 2010,
it has been reclassified as
endangered. Overfishing by
commercial fishing vessels has
left the African penguins with
lesser to eat. These birds dig
burrows in guano (sea birds’
droppings). Removal of guano as
a source of fertilizer has forced
the African penguins to nest in
the open, exposing their eggs and
chicks to predators.
Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28
HUMBOLDT PENGUIN
Pinky, our star of the penguin
meet-and-greet sessions, is a
Humboldt penguin. Our bird
keepers had to hand raise it when
it was rejected by its parents soon
after hatching. The Humboldt
penguin can be found on the coast
of Peru and Chile. It is named
after Alexander von Humboldt, a
German naturalist who explored
Latin America extensively between
1799 and 1804.
PHOTO: MAGGIE ANG
Humboldt penguins have pink patches
of bare skin around their bill, feet and
the undersides of the wings to allow
heat to escape when the weather gets
too warm.
PHOTO: BJORN OLESEN
Apart from overfishing and guano
collection, the African penguin
faces an additional threat from oil
contamination.
Be sure to visit Penguin Coast
this December and have a great
black and white encounter with
the penguins. See page 31 for
event highlights.
This article is written by Lok May Kuen,
Director, Education, WRS
5
 Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28

Animal Babies Part 2

Young animals, yet to master the skills of survival, are very vulnerable. Many are
left on their own to fend for themselves, and they fall prey to predators or even their
siblings; others may die of starvation. In this issue, we enter the world of animal
babies once again and learn how some parents find ways and means to ensure that
their offspring survive the difficult journey of childhood.

A queen naked mole rat nursing her

pups. She leaves the other tasks of
caring for the pups to the worker
naked mole rats.

PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY

Did You Know?
Foster Parents
Animals may sometimes
act as foster parents to
orphaned or abandoned
babies. Ah Meng, our
famous orang utan, adopted
two orphaned orang utans,
In a meerkat
in addition to raising
gang, up to 80%
her five babies. When
of the pups are
produced by the Gambir, an orphaned Asian
dominant female
and all the other elephant, was brought from
members in the Malaysia to Singapore Zoo,
gang have to
Anusha, the late matriarch
chip in to care
for them. of the Zoo’s elephant
family, adopted her and
cared for her.
Nannies and Nurseries
Animals that live in a social
group often cooperate to look
after their babies. This way, their
young are always cared for,
and therefore enjoy a higher
chance of survival. Members of
the group may play the role of
a nanny to care for the young
while their mothers take a break
or go out to hunt or forage. The
meerkats of Africa are among the
best baby-sitters in the animal
kingdom. They live as a group
(known as a gang) in burrows
and the members take turns to
look after the babies (pups), even
if it means having to go without
food all day. Some meerkats
spend their entire life as baby-
sitters and they never breed
themselves. All adults, males and
females, pitch in to help educate
the young in hunting and survival
techniques.
Some animals have specially-
assigned areas to raise their
young. In a naked mole rat
colony, only the queen breeds.
After the pups are born, a
‘worker’ naked mole rat cleans
and transfers them to a special
nursery chamber. The queen
visits the nursery only when she
needs to nurse her pups.
7
 Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28

Sneaky Parents and Fatty Milk mammals produce milk with hooded seals feed on milk that
Monster Babies All newborn mammals feed varying amount of proteins is 65% fat, the highest among
Many animals spend lots on milk. In fact, the word and fats. Marine mammals, mammals. They need the fats
of energy and resources ‘mammal’ is derived from the especially those that live in to build up their blubber fast to
to raise their young but term ‘mammary gland’, which cold places, produce milk with fight the cold. In just four days,
some manage to get is the organ that produces milk a higher fat content compared they nurse and double their
others to do the job for to nourish the young. Different to land mammals. Newborn weight at birth.
them. Cuckoo birds,
cowbirds and cuckoo
ducks are well-known
examples of ‘lazy
parents’. These birds,
known as brood parasites,
lay their eggs in the nests
of other birds and trick
the ‘victims’ or host birds
into incubating their eggs,
and raising their young.
The sneaky parents
often produce ‘monster
babies’ – they trick their
foster parents into caring Newly-hatched
for them or they destroy cuckoo birds,
though blind and
the foster parents’ eggs naked, are ‘monster’
so that they can enjoy babies. One by one,
this cuckoo bird pushes
undivided attention. the eggs of its foster
parent, the reed warbler,
Below: A young cuckoo bird out of the nest. Once it has
being fed by the smaller- destroyed all the eggs, it will
sized reed warbler. It is able enjoy the undivided attention
to call like a reed warbler from its foster parent.
chick to ‘persuade’ its foster
parent to care for it.
PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY

PHOTO: HEATH HOLDEN

Favoritism Above: Childhood for the hooded seal
lasts for four days only – the shortest
Birds of prey produce two or even three eggs in in the animal kingdom. For this marine
a clutch. The nestling that hatches first is always mammal, growing up quickly is one
the biggest. When there is not enough food to way to shorten the dangerous period of
childhood. As the pup has only four days
go around, the parents will only feed the largest to nurse, it gorges itself on milk to build
chick and push the other chicks out of the way. up its blubber to keep warm. Its weight
almost doubles within the short period,
The smaller chicks usually die of starvation and are from about 22kg at birth, to 43kg.
eaten up by the bigger chick. The parents are only
able to raise all the chicks when food is plentiful.
Left: This is the first Himalayan tahr
to be born in Night Safari. Unlike
Did You Know? marine mammals and most bears, land
mammals, particularly those that are
Mammals are not the only milk-producing animals. found in the tropics, produce milk with
Some birds produce ‘milk’ too. Both male and female much lower fat content.
pigeons produce ‘crop milk’ to feed their squabs.
Flamingoes produce ‘red milk’ from their upper
digestive tract to feed the newly-hatched chicks.
(Note: the crop is a food storage sac in the oesophagus)
PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY
9

Yuckey Food?
Imagine having to feed on your
mother’s poop or food that she
‘throws up’ (regurgitates)! These
meals may appear ‘yuckey’ to us
but many young animals need it
to survive or prepare for the next
stage of growth.
Sea birds such as the penguins
that travel long distances to look
for food digest their meals partially
and then regurgitate it for their
chicks when they return from their
foraging trips. Other animals such
as wolves, jackals, hunting dogs
and red dholes leave the dens to
hunt and return to regurgitate ‘hot
meals’ for their pups.
Herbivores depend on bacteria
to digest leaves. Young animals
need to get the bacteria into
their guts before they switch to
Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28
the adult diet. When a koala As animal babies grow, their diet changes. At about
three weeks, jackal pups start to feed on semi-solid
joey is about six months old, food regurgitated by their parents.
it starts to get ready for the
change. In addition to milk, it
feeds on a special poop called
‘pap’, produced by its mother.
The ‘pap’ contains the bacteria
required to digest eucalyptus
leaves. Elephant calves, too, are
known to eat mum’s poop to get
the bacteria needed to digest the
vegetative matter.
PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY
PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY
Did You Know?
Mummy Is Anything Precocial animal babies learn to recognize and follow the
That Moves first moving object they see, be it mum, dad, a pair
Precocial animals refer to of moving boots or a truck. This process is called
imprinting.Once imprinted to a particular
certain birds or hoofed animals object, the animal will always follow that
that are able to stand and walk oject even after it reaches adulthood.
a few hours after hatching or
birth. At this stage, the babies
learn to recognise and follow
their parents. This process is
known as imprinting. In the
1930s, a researcher named
Konrad Lorenz proved that
geese become readily attached
to the first moving thing they
see, be it mum, dad, a pair
of yellow boots worn by a
keeper or a moving truck.
This behaviour has also been
observed in other precocial
animals. In the wild, female
animals prevent their young
from being imprinted to the
wrong ‘object’ by hiding their
babies in secluded places for
the first few days. PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY
The pouch of a koala opens to
face downwards so that its joey
can reach mummy’s poop easily. This article is written by Lok May Kuen, Director, Education, WRS
11
 Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28

Role Increasingly, zoos need to create naturalistic habitats

for the animals and provide conservation education
for visitors to fulfill their role in inspiring actions in
wildlife conservation.

Over the years, I have visited more than 200 Only 10 per cent of the estimated 3,000 zoos and Does it have to do with society’s low
zoos and aquariums. These range from the world’s aquariums in the world are members of the World expectation of zoos?
oldest zoo in Vienna, Austria, to the exotic Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). All
zoo built on the volcanic slopes at the source Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) parks – Jurong History has shown that humans
of the Amazon River in Banos, Ecuador, to a Bird Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo – are instinctively desire to control
conservation-focused zoo in the Bronx, WAZA members. They were the first zoological the beasts around them.
United States. institutions in Southeast Asia to achieve both ISO Some 5,000 years ago,
14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications, which Egyptian Pharaohs kept
I have also seen many bad zoos that should be indicate compliance with the highest standards in hippos, hartebeests,
closed down and the owners prosecuted. I once environment, health and safety. What puzzles me elephants, giraffes,
saw a tiger at a well-known zoo being kept in an is that zoos remain popular attractions with 650 baboons, cheetahs,
old office with a wooden door and glass window. million visitors worldwide annually, though many leopards and
I have observed a heavily-sedated lion used for do not meet the most basic of standards. monkeys. Chinese
tourist contact; the poor lion could no longer walk emperors built
Below: Exotic animals in circuses are abused and forced to
on all fours. In another zoo, I learnt of monkeys perform routines that do not reflect their natural behaviour their “Garden
being traded as food in the zoo’s backyard. for the amusement of the audience. of Intelligence”
to keep deer
and birds, and
Admiral Cheng
Ho returned
from Africa
with giraffes
and zebras
to please
the ruler.

Today,
in some
societies, zoos
remain a place
for exhibiting exotic
animals to satisfy
the curiosity of people
– a circus to entertain
people at the expense of the
animals. However, good zoos
today have evolved into places
for conservation and education.

13

At Wildlife Reserves Singapore, we have changed
our mission from providing recreation to promoting
education; from captive breeding to habitat
conservation; from animal husbandry to animal
science advancement.
We welcomed 3.6 million visitors last year, of
which 250,000 were students using our parks as
Living and Learning classrooms. Living animals are
powerful tools to bond children with nature.
For formal education, we work with the Ministry of
Education to complement mainstream classroom
lessons, and we subsidise student admission fees.
We conduct workshops for teachers, and sponsor
seminars for zoo educators in Asia.
We increased the learning opportunities in our
parks by replacing commemorative plaques
with educational interpretives for children. We
weave engaging stories about the animals in
feeding sessions and conduct tours of our Rescue,
Nutrition, and Healthcare & Research Centres.
We publish educational magazines and have
revamped our animal presentations to reinforce a
conservation message.
True respect for wildlife can only be stimulated
by learning about animals in their natural habitat.
We design our exhibits with minimal confinement
to let people respect our animals in their natural
habitat. We adhere to, and in most cases surpass,
WAZA’s standards in animal welfare and ethics,
and requirements for enclosure size, features and
amenities. WRS is also at the forefront of developing
animal enrichment activities to expose our animals to
generous doses of mental and physical stimulation.
WRS parks are renowned for breeding critically
endangered animals and the study of Southeast
Wildlife Reserves Singapore provides varied wildlife education programmes to engage its visitors, excellent care and
enrichment activities for its animals, wildlife rescue facilities and plays the role of the guardian of the wild in Singapore.
Asian rainforest animals. To help revive the
declining endangered wildlife populations, we
use our experience in breeding and releasing
critically endangered animal species into the wild.
Our collection acts as insurance in the event that
wild populations go extinct. We succeeded in
reintroducing the oriental pied hornbill, which was
believed to be locally extinct in 1991. Today, a
healthy population of 80 birds thrives.
Our parks have also taken on the role of official
wildlife rescue centres to help reduce incidences of
illegal wildlife trade. We have rescued, rehabilitated
and repatriated more then 20,000 wild animals.
We have trained staff from the Immigration &
Checkpoints Authority to identify and handle
endangered wildlife.
The role of zoos has changed. We have to be
an active player in the conservation of our
Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28
ecosystems. We have to be the catalyst in
promoting a sustainable lifestyle to preserve
our biodiversity. We have to instill a respect
for wildlife and turn people into active
conservationists.
However, our progress will be constrained by
problems: The number of threatened species is
greater than what zoos can accommodate. Zoos
have limited financial resources and success in
maintaining large populations of endangered
animals. Zoos cannot conserve wild behaviour
and fully replicate natural habitats. Some zoo
visitors just want to have fun and are not ready
to learn.
We need time and commitment, public as well as
private support, to realise our vision.
The writer Ms Fanny Lai is the Group CEO of
Wildlife Reserves Singapore.
15
HUNGRY AND HOMELESS SOON?
Penguins are feeling the heat as a result of climate change. Species such as the emperor, king and Adelie
penguins depend heavily on sea ice to breed, forage and moult. With global warming, sea ice is melting
fast and these birds are finding it difficult to survive in their shrinking home. Sea ice also serves as an
important ‘nursery’ for krill, the main food source for many penguins. Reduced sea ice cover has led to a
sharp decline in krill populations, which means that there is less for the penguins to eat.

Anchovies, sardines and other small fish are seasonally brought to many penguin habitats by cold water
currents. With higher sea temperatures, fish and other prey species of penguins are forced to migrate to
cooler waters. This means that penguins have to travel farther in search of food and take a longer time to
return to feed their chicks.

Night Safari Head Keeper
At first look, he comes across as stern and reserved. But Sivam, who heads the
Indian rhinoceros section, warms up to us the moment we started talking to him
about his charges at Night Safari. Wildlife Wonders catches up with this soft
spoken, gentle giant who shares with us the intriguing aspects of tending to his
unpredictable charges.
ALL PHOTOS: HEATH HOLDEN
a laxative, followed by an
enema to soften the stools. If
the stools are impacted closer
to the rectum, we have to
remove them from the rhino’s
posterior!
Once I ensure that everything
with the rhinos is in order, I go
on to check on the axis deer,
water buffaloes, sambar deer
and the Indian wolves. I also
enjoy training and coaching
new members of the team, and
am glad to have built a strong
and reliable team.
Q: What are the challenges in
working with huge beasts
like the Indian rhinos?
A: Indian rhinos are solitary
creatures, and they have an
Q: How long have you been working as a Rhinos have very good sense of hearing. The unpredictable temperament.
keeper? moment they hear my voice from a distance, For instance, there was an
A: I joined as a junior keeper in 1993, just a year they get excited because it means breakfast is occasion when the rhinos
before Night Safari was officially opened. After on the way for them! Rhinos eat up to 70kg of got so excited because of a
17 years, I am now a Head Keeper. food everyday. For that huge amount of food passing helicopter, and they
intake, they must produce between 35 and 45 started running around their
Q: What is a typical day like for you? balls of poop daily, as a sign of healthy bowel enclosure frantically. We had
A: I start the day by checking on the animals with the movement. If the rhinos do not `poop’ after a few to call out to them, and pat
Indian rhinos first, as they are my main charges. days of normal food intake, the vet will prescribe them to calm them down. This
is where the bond between
keepers and animals becomes
critical. I talk to the rhinos
while I feed them and clean
the dens. After some time, the
bond becomes so strong that
the rhinos are comfortable
enough to let us draw their
blood, without sedation, for
laboratory tests.
Q: Can you share with us
more about our rhinos
and their personalities?
A: We have three Indian rhinos,
and they are unique in their
own ways. Gurkha, our only
resident male is very impatient
and expects to be fed right
on time or earlier. There was
an occasion where he got so
impatient and damaged the
yard door with his repeated
banging! He can be very
adamant too, so we have to
continuously condition him
with his favourite fruit and
other devices. Gomathi is just
like Gurkha. Impatient and
temperamental, when she
does not get her food right on
Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28
the dot! Mary is the coolest
among the three. She spends
most of the time eating,
taking naps and wallowing
in the mud. We flew Mary in
from Oklahoma Zoo as part
of an exchange programme
to pair her up with Gurkha.
Hopefully we can have a baby
Indian rhino in Night Safari in
the near future.
Q: You are clearly very
dedicated to your job.
What makes you look
forward to coming to
work?
A: The close bond that I share
with the animals. It’s amazing
to see how they respond to
you once you have gained
their trust. It is hard work
getting them to be comfortable
with us. But it is well worth
the time and effort. Last
but not least, being able to
provide the best care for them
and keep them in tip-top
condition is greatly satisfying!
19
 Pandas spend hours munching bamboo stems,
leaves and shoots. They consume Wildlife
about 15 Wonders I Volume 28
to 30kg of bamboo everyday!
WRS is planting various
species of bamboo
in preparation of the
arrival of two pandas.
They will be on

Bamboo!
display when River
Safari opens in 2012.

Red pandas
are relatives
of the giant
panda. They
are found in
The Chinese regard bamboo as a symbol of longevity. The Andaman Islanders of the Himalayas,
in Myanmar,
the Indian Ocean say that the first man was born inside a large stalk of bamboo. and the cool,
Filipinos believe that placing bamboo crosses in their farms would bring about good temperate
bamboo forests
harvest. Bamboo has many uses, and is one of the most important plants in the of China.

daily lives of the people in Asia, Africa and Latin America. PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY PHOTO: BJORN OLESEN

shortage of food. During the What Eats Bamboo? dishes. The sap of the bamboo
Fastest Growing Plant mid 1970s, 138 pandas were Giant pandas are not the only can be fermented to make
Bamboo is one of the fastest found dead in the remote Min ones that eat bamboo. Red wine. Bamboo is also valued
growing plants on Earth, being Mountains of China. The pandas pandas, mountain gorillas, for its medicinal properties. In
The bamboo is able to grow as much as 90
distinguished
had starved to death after golden bamboo lemurs and Ayurveda or traditional Indian
from other centimetres in one day! Bamboo three species of bamboo mass- humans do too! Bamboo shoots, medicine, the secretion from
grasses by its belongs to the grass family, flowered and died-off. In another high in dietary fibre some bamboo stems, called
woody culms, and the giant bamboo is the
or stalks. Some incident that happened in and potassium, tabsheer, is prescribed for
of these stalks largest grass in the world! There Wolong Panda Reserve in 1983, are used as coughs and asthma.
can reach up to are more than 1,000 species the pandas had to change their ingredients in
20 centimetres
or more in
of bamboo. They are found in diet when the arrow bamboo many Asian
diameter. Asia, the Americas and Africa, species mass-flowered, and died.
and can grow in diverse habitats They switched to eating the
ranging from cold mountains to umbrella bamboo instead.
the tropical rainforests.
PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY
Bamboo shoots, popularly
Running Out of Food used in Chinese cuisine, are
readily available in fresh or
Some bamboo species go canned forms.
through a period of ‘mass
flowering’ – a strange
occurrence that puzzles
botanists! During this period,
all the bamboo of a single
species will flower, produce
fruit and seeds, and die-off.
It can take seven to ten years
for the seeds to germinate and
sprout new plants.

Giant pandas are greatly When bamboo

affected by this peculiar event. plants flower, they
produce a large amount
When a bamboo species dies, of seeds, which are a source
the pandas face a sudden of food for rats and birds.

21
 Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28

PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY

Above: Bamboo plays an important role in agriculture. Farmers in rural

China still use waterwheels made of bamboo to irrigate their land.

Left: Bamboo, known for its incredible strength, is one of the oldest
construction materials. Here, it is used to build a bridge strong enough to
withstand the weight of cars!

Below: The shakuhachi is an end-blown bamboo flute, popularly featured

in the Japanese culture. The bamboo’s natural hollow form makes it a
suitable choice for making woodwind and percussion instruments.

PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY

PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY

Eco-friendly raw material Below: The bamboo’s

Bamboos are hardy plants. They rapid rate of growth
makes it an affordable
grow very fast and can thrive in
and environmentally- Bamboo Chair
many different habitats. These friendly source of raw
qualities make them a good material.
source of raw material. More
than 1,000 different products are
made of bamboo. Bamboo stems
are known for their strength, and
have been used to build houses,
Above: Bamboo steamers
make furniture and fences. They are commonly used to
are a good alternative to timber, prepare Asian dishes
such as tim-sum.
which are mostly harvested from
endangered rainforests.
23
 Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28

Rescue of a King
With natural habitats being swiftly destroyed to make way for urbanization
in Singapore, more wild animals are finding their way into residential areas.
Frightened residents often do not know how to react when they encounter these
animals and may resort to killing them. WRS, the official wildlife rescue centre
in Singapore, recently helped save a king cobra, which is a native species and the
world’s longest venomous snake. Measuring a lengthy 4.3metres, the rescued
snake was named Elvis after the King of Rock and Roll. Elvis now makes its
home at the Zoo.
HOLDEN
PHOTOS: HEATH
The Royal Rescue
Elvis was first spotted in a drain
along Thomson Road. NParks
officials were concerned that
his enormous size might alarm
members of the public and in
response, they would harm
him. The officials contacted
PHOTO: HEATH HOLDEN
the Zoo and the rescue team
arrived shortly at the scene to
take the large reptile back to Did You Know?
SHOULD YOU COME
the wildlife rescue centre. After
careful consideration, the Zoo • The king cobra is the • Baby king cobras look FACE TO FACE WITH A
decided to include Elvis in its world’s longest venomous very different from SNAKE...
reptile collection to prevent him snake and can grow up to the adults. They have
from ‘trespassing’ on urban areas 6 metres in length. black and white bands • Stand still and then back
again, and risk getting injured along their bodies. The away slowly.
or even killed. Elvis underwent • The neurotoxin venom bands fade as the
quarantine and health checks, injected from a single bite snakes grow. • An unprovoked snake
and is now residing at the Snake by a king cobra can kill a is likely to move away
House in Reptile Garden. full-grown elephant or • The king cobra feeds eventually. If it does not,
20 humans! almost mainly on other call the pest control experts
King Cobra Feeding snakes, including its to remove it from your
• King cobras are the only own kind. premises.
Session snakes in the world that
Watch Elvis feasting on a build nests for their • When cornered, the • Snakes may ‘play dead’, so
The vets giving Elvis, the slithery meal during the king eggs, which they guard king cobra flares out its do not attempt to handle
king cobra a thorough health cobra feeding session at
check after he was rescued ferociously until the hood and lets out a low- them.
and brought to the Zoo. Reptile House every Sunday hatchlings emerge. pitched hiss.
at 2.15pm
25

Shell-Safe
Snails belong to a group
of soft-bodied animals
called mollusks, which
also include oysters,
clams and other
shellfish. Snails can
be found in forests,
gardens, ponds, seas
and even deserts.
The largest land snail is the giant African
snail, which can grow up to 39cm long.
That is almost the size of a small rabbit!
PHOTO: STEPHANIEDANCER / WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Above: The largest snail
in the world is a sea snail
known as the Australian
trumpet, which can measure
99cm long and weigh up to
14 kg.
All snails have a shell. In
the face of danger, they
retract their body into
the shell and seal it off
with a hard plate called
operculum or a layer of
hardened slime. During
dry seasons, snails may
also curl up in their
shell to stay moist.
PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY
On A Slimy Trail
Land snails produce
a trail of slime as they
move. The slime trail
helps them to slide
along without hurting
their soft body and also
to stick to surfaces so
that snails can crawl
up walls and across
ceilings without failing
off. Scientists are
studying the use of the
slime produced by the
giant African snail to
mend fractured bones
in humans.
Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28
Congratulations to the readers
who sent in the correct answer
for Wild Guess Volume 27. Lucky
winners will each receive a $10
Ben & Jerry ‘s ice cream voucher.
The answer for Wild Guess
Volume 27 is apple snail eggs.
What is a snake’s
PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY
favourite subject?
Apple snails can survive
What kind of cat works What do you call a
Nur Iffah Maisarah
in water with low oxygen Ans: Hiss-tory for the Red Cross? crate full of ducks?
level by breathing through Emma Chan Yi Mei Ooi Yi Xuan, Amanda
their lung and gills.
Ans: A First-Aid-Kit Ans: A box of quackers!
Why are fireflies so
good in school? Which fish costs the Why are dogs like
Titus Goh most? phones?
Philip Choo Wei Xiang
Ian Lee Ing Yi
Ans: Because they are so bright!
Ans: A Gold Fish Ans: Because they have collar IDs!
Hate Them or Apple snail
Share your favourite animal riddle with us and receive a mystery gift!
Love Them Apple snails are
Send your entry to:
Snails can cause serious freshwater snails that The Editor, Wildlife Wonders (Riddles), Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore 729826
problems for gardeners live in swamps, ponds, Please include your name, contact number and mailing address.
and farmers. They feast lakes and rivers. Adults
on plants and wipe out can grow to the size of
crops in just days. Snails an apple, hence their
are hated by some common name! Apple
people but relished snails lay their eggs
by others. Most snails out of water to prevent
can be eaten and in predation by fish and
some countries they are other aquatic animals.
considered a delicacy. An oxygen-filled lung
Below: “Escargot” is a
popular dish of land snails,
helps the apple snail
adjust its floating level Wildlife Wonders
served as an appetizer. in water. Clue: A fruit originated from South Want to know about the latest love stories of our animals or how the keepers
America; named after a mythical and vets keep our birds and beasts in the pink? Curious to find out how we train
animal that is believed to spit fire. the animals for shows, blood tests and other routine health checks? Subscribe
to Wildlife Wonders for regular updates on all our three wildlife attractions!   
Send your entry to:
The Editor, Wildlife Wonders 1-year subscription, volume 29 to 32: S$16 (save S$12)
(Wild Guess)
Singapore Zoo, 2-year subscription, volume 29 to 36: S$28 (save S$21)
80 Mandai Lake Road Please log on to http://education.wrs.com.sg/publiations.html if you wish to purchase past issues.
Singapore 729826
Cheque to be made payable to Singapore Zoological Gardens.
Please include your name, Please send it together with this order form to:
contact number & mailing Education Dept, Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
address. Find out the answer in
Wildlife Wonders Volume 29 Cheque No. ____________________________ Total Amount: __________________
Name: _____________________________________ Tel:_______________________
Closing Date: 31 January 2011 Email: _______________________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________
PHOTO: PHOTOLIBRARY
27
Photocopied form is accepted.
 Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28

We are happy to share with you beautiful

illustrations done by our readers.

CONTEST 1: World Of Penguins

Word Search Wildlife Wonders Volume 28
FUNPAGE CONTEST FORM
1. All species of penguins are found Y O V E R F I S H I N G
in the _______ hemisphere. Name: _______________________
E B T C L I G R Q E I O
2. The Penguin Coast at the Bird Address: _______________________
M S F N T J Q L P X M Z
Park displays ______________
P E S O U T H E R N A E _______________________
species of penguins.
E T I F L C Z Y O B A O School: _______________________
3. The _____________ penguin is
the largest species of penguin.
R H X J I H V U N G T I Contact No.: _______________________
O Y H U J S B O G K H P
4. The rockhopper penguin is the Please send your answers to:
noisiest and most ___________ R I J O B D N R U O J B
Singapore Zoo, Education Dept
G U A P M K E S A P L M 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826
5. The fairy penguin is the world’s
K O S X O S Y H N Y O L Closing Date: 31 January 2011
___________________ penguin.
6. Seabirds’ droppings are also L L M C S W I O O I M U
known as __________________. I R W I P Y P E L X C A CONTEST 1: World Of Penguins
7. African penguins are threatened M U V H I N Q D D U E K
B E U K O K T V I T L J Y O V E R F I S H I N G
by __________, guano collection
and oil contamination. R B M S M A L L E S T O E B T C L I G R Q E I O
M S F N T J Q L P X M Z
P E S O U T H E R N A E
CONTEST 2 E T I F L C Z Y O B A O
Fill in the blanks R H X J I H V U N G T I
Isabella Chow
O Y H U J S B O G K H P
1. Bamboo belongs to the (a)________________ family, and is one of the
(b)________________ growing plants on Earth. R I J O B D N R U O J B
G U A P M K E S A P L M
2. Bamboo, known for its _______________, is one of the oldest construction
materials. K O S X O S Y H N Y O L
3. The king cobra is the world’s __________ snake and can grow up to 6 L L M C S W I O O I M U
metres in length. I R W I P Y P E L X C A
4. ___________________ animals refer to certain birds or hoofed animals that M U V H I N Q D D U E K
are able to move after a few hours of birth or hatching. B E U K O K T V I T L J
5. Some animals like wolves, jackals and hunting dogs hunt for food and R B M S M A L L E S T O
later _________________ it for their young to eat.
CONTEST 2
Wildlife Wonders Volume 27 • Answers + Winners
1a. Ans: ___________________________
ANSWERS: THE 10 WINNERS ARE:

CONTEST 2:
1b. Ans: ___________________________
CONTEST 1: Amanda Goh Ching Yee
Is That My Bill? It’s A Baby World Ian Lee Ing Yi
Crystal Chua Lillian Wilson 2. Ans: ___________________________
1. platypus Mariam Jamilah
A. 3
Rebekah Mah
2. marsupials Justus Goh
3. Ans: ___________________________
Write to us and share your stories or poems about nature with our readers. B. 4
Russell Lim Hong Rui
If your story or poem is published, you will receive a $10 Ben & Jerry’s voucher. C. 5 3. alevin 4. Ans: ___________________________
Veron Ng Chu Yi
Please send your contribution to: The Editor, Wildlife Wonders (Your Say) D. 2 4. cicada Nicole Tan
Gideon Lim 5. Ans: ___________________________
Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore 729826 E. 1 5. camouflage
Ling Yi Jie
Remember to include your name and mailing address. 6. monkeys Marcus Lim
29
 Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28

Wildlife Events
@ SINGAPORE ZOO @ SINGAPORE ZOO @ BIRD PARK
JUNIOR ZOO KEEPER ZOO-HOO! LET’S PLAY WORK! SLEEP WITH THE FLAMINGOS FAMILY CAMP
We invite you to don This event features six different activities for kids, Get your sleeping bags ready for a cozy family sleepover with
@ BIRD PARK
a zookeeper uniform which will be held at various parts of the Zoo. our charming penguins. Be entertained by a series of mind-
PENGUIN WONDERLAND
complete with boots and Kids get a unique opportunity to become a vet, stimulating activities that involve family fun and participation,
It is penguins galore at the Bird Park,
spend an extraordinary wildlife photographer, show presenter, zookeeper, and wake up right next to our graceful flamingos.
this December! Come celebrate
day with some zoo conservationist, and even a horticulturist for a Date: 11 – 12 Dec
everything penguin with a mélange of
animals. Work behind-the-scenes and gain day! Upon completion of all Zoo-Hoo activities, Time: 1.30pm (Sat) – 10am (Sun)
great activities lined up for the little
hands-on experience in caring for these creatures. participants will be rewarded with free ice- Venue: Jurong Bird Park
ones! Kids can party the afternoon away
Date: 10 Dec, Friday cream and a Zoo Hoo puzzle cube. The first 100 Age: Families with children age 3yrs and above
at the Penguin Party, try their hand at
Time: 9am- 5pm participants of the day who complete the activities Price: $117.70* per adult, $96.30* per child (3 - 12 years)
various penguin – inspired art and craft *5% off for Friends of the Zoo, Feather Friends, Wildlife Unlimited or
Age: 10 – 13 years old will also win a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream!
activities, and get a unique chance Wildlife Unlimited Plus Membership
Cost: S$267.50* (inc GST) per child Date: 27 & 28 Nov / 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 Dec
*5% off for Friends of the Zoo, Feather Friends, Wildlife to play with “snow” at our weekend For enquiries and to book, please contact
Time: 10am – 4pm
Unlimited or Wildlife Unlimited Plus Membership snowfoam playground. Amberly at 6661 7809 / amberly@birdpark.com.sg
Fee: Free (Park admission fee applies)
For enquiries and to book, please contact Date: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26 Dec or Maggie at 6661 7819 / maggieang@birdpark.com.sg
Registration will be done on event days at
Shaiah at 6360 8534 or email shaiah.s@wrs.com.sg Time: 11.30am – 4pm
Rainforest Walk (near Bird Photography area)
Venue: Jurong Bird Park @ BIRD PARK
For more details, please visit www.zoohoo.com.sg Fee: Free (Park admission fee applies)
@ SINGAPORE ZOO TEACHERS WORKSHOP (PRIMARY)
SPH FOUNDATION CONSERVATION Registration not required This 2-day workshop offers in-depth training for primary
AMBASSADOR TRAINING For more details, please visit school teachers who wish to be empowered to conduct
Calling out to all youths who have a passion for www.birdpark.com.sg exciting and engaging learning journeys in the Jurong Bird
wildlife! Wondering how you can do your part or email events@birdpark.com.sg Park. At the end of the workshop, teachers
for conservation and spread should be able to confidently execute great
the message? Join us as a learning journeys to enthrall their students.
Conservation Ambassador at Date: 2 – 3 Dec
the Singapore Zoo! Participants Time: 9am – 5pm
have to be at least 15 years old. Venue: Jurong Bird Park
Commitment of 6 sessions (2 Cost: Sponsored by Ministry of Education
hours each) of service over a TRAISI Course Code for registration: 40722
6-month period is required by For enquiries, please contact
all participants. Amberly at 6661 7809 / amberly@birdpark.com.sg
Training Dates: 4 & 11 Dec or Maggie at 6661 7819 / maggieang@birdpark.com.sg
Time: 9am- 5pm
Age: 15 years old and above
Registration fee: $20 (inc GST & training material)
For more details, please visit
http://education.zoo.com.sg/servicelearning.html
or contact Ms Kim Ng at 6360 8622
or email kim.ng@wrs.com.sg
31
Wildlife Wonders I Volume 28

wildlife news To get

WRS hosted the first
Southeast Asian Animal
Enrichment Workshop
its meal
of dead rats,
the Komodo
dragon has to
rip the cardboard
Environments and Ms Valerie box apart, just like
Hare of Shape of Enrichment. it would rip the skin of
its prey apart in the wild.
It was attended by some 30
representatives from 20 zoos
and wildlife institutions from
countries like Malaysia, Hong
Kong and the Philippines. The
workshop included hands-
on sessions to design animal
enrichment devices, and an
opportunity for the participants
to try out the devices at selected
animal exhibits.

Enrichment activities help to

keep our animals mentally alert
Wildlife Reserves Singapore and physically healthy. On an
(WRS) hosted the first Southeast average, they receive three
Asian Animal Enrichment sessions of enrichment each Above:
Workshop in October. The event week. The keepers may change Animals are given ‘toys’
to keep them from boredom. Spinning
was held to reinforce our efforts the way meals are presented to feeder balls encourage the oriental
to raise the standards of wildlife the animals to encourage them short-clawed otters to use their
to display their natural hunting sensitive and dexterous fingers to get to
captive care in zoos, and other
the tasty treats.
wildlife institutions in the region. or foraging behaviour. They give
enrichment devices or ‘toys’
The eight-month-
The workshop, held from 4 to the animals to explore and old siamang
to 7 October, was conducted sharpen their motor and sensory baby, Simbu can
be spotted with
by Ms Gail Laule from Active skills.
its parents, Anna
and Elmo at the
Treetops Trail
exhibit.
Zoo welcomes first Siamang baby in 17 years!
Singapore Zoo celebrated the arrival of a baby siamang early this year,
after several failed attempts to breed this species in the last 17 years!
Siamangs are extremely difficult to breed in captivity due to their
solitary and monogamous nature.

Siamangs are apes, and because they are much smaller than the other
apes, namely the gorilla, orang utan and chimpanzee, they are known as
lesser apes. They are found in the rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia.
These endangered apes are threatened because of deforestation.
PHOTO: HEATH HOLDEN
 Motoro Ray
The motoro ray spends most of its time
at the bottom of the rivers of the Amazon
Basin. Its horny mouth, located on the
underside of its body, is adept at grasping
and crushing shellfish. Its diet also
includes small fish and aquatic insects.

The whip-like tail bears two stings, which

are made of very hard bones. The stings
produce venom and have jagged edges to
inflict very painful cuts. When provoked,
the stingray lashes its long tail and uses
its stings to stab its enemies. The stings
are replaced thrice a year.