Explore the wild at Rainforest Wild Asia
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Amily Goh
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SINGAPORE – In March, Singapore’s fifth wildlife park, Rainforest Wild Asia, opened its doors.
It has been dubbed by Mandai Wildlife Group as Asia’s first adventure-based zoological park, where visitors can crawl through caves or free fall from a 13m-high platform.
In Episode 5 of nine2twelve, a video series for children, The Straits Times and two guest reviewers visit this park, which is home to 36 animal species.
Watch the video at str.sg/xHhn
Activity
Learn fun facts about the endangered animals found in Rainforest Wild Asia. Match each fun fact to the correct animal by writing the picture’s letter next to its name.
1. Francois’ langur
CMG20250212-Darwis01 陈渊庄/ 邓玮婷，安诗一/ First look at Rainforest Wild Asia [Mandai Lake Road]
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Baby Francois’ langurs are born bright orange, but their fur gradually turns black as they grow older. These monkeys live in rocky places with lots of cliffs and caves. They are awake during the day and spend their time climbing, eating leaves and resting in trees.
2. Malayan tiger
ST20250312-202537600577-Lim Yaohui-Chin Hui Shan-hsgrace12/ Malayan tiger habitat in the Rock Cascade zone, where these apex predators wander through tunnels, traverse rocky formations and navigate cascading waterfalls. Official opening of Rainforest Wild Asia on March 12, 2025. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, Ms Grace Fu officiated the launch of Singapore’s fifth wildlife park, welcoming the first park-goers before embarking on a rainforest adventure. (ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI)
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
It likes to be alone, except when it is looking for a mate or when a mother is with her babies. The cubs stay with their mother for about two years before going off on their own. In the wild, this tiger is hunted for its body parts, which are used in some traditional medicines.
3. Siamangs
The Siamang primate, or Hylobates syndactylus.
PHOTO: WILDLIFE RESERVES SINGAPORE
The siamang has a big throat pouch which lets it make very loud calls. Its calls can be heard as far as 3km away. The forest acrobat travels from tree to tree easily, covering up to 3m in one swing. When it is not swinging, it walks along branches with its arms extended.
4. Vietnamese pheasant
The Vietnamese Pheasant, one of five species of birds that were moved to their new home Wings of Asia aviary in Jurong Bird Park on 16 March 2015.
PHOTO: WILDLIFE RESERVES SINGAPORE
The males have bright red flaps on their faces and a pattern on their feathers that looks like tiny scales. This bird is native to north-central Vietnam. It was spotted in 1996 in the Phong Dien area of Thua Thien Hue province, but has not been seen in the wild since 2000. Today, the bird can be found only in zoos.
SOURCE: mandai.com
