No change to admission charges to view Kai Kai and Jia Jia

THERE will be no change to the admission charges for those who wish to view giant pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia before the River Safari officially opens next year, said Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Grace Fu on Friday.

She was responding in Parliament to Nominated MP Faizah Jamal, who had asked if the additional charges for zoo visitors who wish to view the giant panda exhibit could be waived, at least until the River Safari opens.

Ms Fu said Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) had decided to offer a special preview of the giant pandas from Nov 29 because of "strong public interest" in Kai Kai and Jia Jia, who will be the resident stars of the new River Safari. However, as their new home opens only in the first quarter of next year, access to the panda exhibit will be from the Singapore Zoo for now.

Visitors thus have to buy zoo admission tickets and pay an extra fee of $5 per adult or $3 per child to see the pandas. WRS has said that proceeds from the top-up fees will be channelled back into the conservation, breeding and research programmes for the pandas, said Ms Fu. The extra fee will stop when the River Safari opens.