Bird Paradise in Mandai set to open next year with eight walk-in aviaries
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Bird Paradise in Mandai Wildlife Reserve is set to open in the second quarter of 2023, after Jurong Bird Park closes on Jan 3.
Mandai Wildlife Group said in a media release on Monday that the new park will have eight walk-in aviaries - up from four in the current bird park.
Bird Paradise will feature a variety of "immersive and naturalistic mixed-species habitats" that reflect different ecologies from around the world, said the group.
It added that the new park is designed to showcase the natural behaviour of birds.
At about 17ha, or around the size of 24 football fields, the new Bird Paradise will be smaller than the 20.2ha Jurong Bird Park. But bird keepers at the current park have said the new park's facilities for housing birds will be bigger.
The new park will feature about 3,500 birds from more than 400 species - similar to the current mix at Jurong Bird Park - of which 24 per cent are threatened species.
Mandai Wildlife Group's chief executive Mike Barclay said: "We have designed Bird Paradise to offer guests an array of carefully themed and choreographed walk-through aviaries that will bring visitors even closer to some of the most stunning bird species in the world."
The group said the new park will offer visitors behind-the-scenes tours of its Avian Health and Research Centre, Avian Nutrition Centre and Breeding and Research Centre, where they can learn about its breeding programmes and conservation research efforts.
Mrs Esther Foong, 37, a mother of two, said such tours will help her children, aged nine and 11, develop empathy towards not just birds, but also the people involved in the care and conservation work.
The group said the new park will have a strong focus on getting visitors involved in conservation. The transitional zones between habitats will be used as educational spaces, with information on birds and their behavioural patterns.
Bird Paradise's entry fees and details on how to book tours will be announced at a later date.
Mr Christopher Khoo, managing director of hospitality consultancy MasterConsult Services, said that with the bird park moving to Mandai, the full range of wildlife and natural attractions there - including the Singapore Zoo and River Wonders - will help to build global recognition for Mandai.
The remaining new features of Mandai Wildlife Reserve, such as Rainforest Wild and a resort operated by Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, are set to open by 2025.
