Nearly 900 animals born in wildlife parks in Singapore in 2021

While 2021 might not have the most productive year for us humans, the animals at the four wildlife parks in Singapore have been hard at work, giving birth to nearly double the number of offspring from the previous year. 

Out of the approximate 900 newborns across 160 species from Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, Singapore Zoo and River Wonders, 44 species were listed as threatened under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

River Wonders’ giant panda cub Le Le may have been the star of baby animal kingdom last year, but some other animals deserve a name for themselves too, such as the endangered Sunda Slow Loris born on Christmas day.

These endearing primates were previously threatened with extinction due to the growing demand in the illegal pet trade and supposed healing properties in traditional medicine.

The highly-threatened Grevy Zebras at the Singapore Zoo made headlines for their new additions as well. 

With only 3,000 of their species left in the wild, the foal Izara and its half-brother Tari joined the herd last year, contributing to the conservation of their kind.

The Night Safari also welcomed the birth of its first two Masked Palm Civet pups. There have been few wild sightings of this species compared to the Common Palm Civet, despite being native to Singapore. 

The pair is currently spending time with their mother in an off-exhibit area, and visitors can look forward to spotting them along the park’s walking trails later this year.

Mammals aside, Jurong Bird Park also welcomed two critically-endangered birds in 2021, the Negros Bleeding Heart Dove, and the Straw-headed Bulbuls, and is currently the only zoological institution to hold and breed the species.

Snap some shots of these adorable newborns in action for Mandai Wildlife Group’s ongoing photography contest, where participants can submit their most creative photographs from any of the four wildlife parks, and stand a chance to win attractive prizes. The contest ends on May 31.