5 hours ago
2
From festive enrichments for sun bears and tigers at Rainforest Wild Asia to seasonal activities across Mandai Wildlife Reserve, here’s how the parks are celebrating Christmas this year.
A Malayan tiger with a Christmas wreath–shaped enrichment prepared by its keepers at Rainforest Wild Asia. (Photo: CNA/Joyee Koo)
New: You can now listen to articles.
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
The festive season is not just for humans. Over at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, animals are getting in on the fun too, as the parks celebrate Christmas with themed activities that transform the precinct into a Festive Wild-erland – not just for visitors but for many of its animal residents, too.
At Mandai’s newest park, Rainforest Wild Asia, which opened earlier this year, keepers have prepared festive-themed enrichments such as wrapped holiday treats, Christmas trees decorated with carrot “baubles”, and wreaths for animals including Malayan sun bears, axis deer, tortoises and Malayan tigers.
“Christmas is all about spending time with family and friends and planning fun activities together. Here with the animals, we want them to feel the same way,” said junior keeper Nur Sarah Ahman, who also shares insights about the bears with visitors at the exhibit.
“For the bears, we create enrichment inspired by Christmas icons like snowmen, and we wrap treats up like Christmas presents. Our younger bear is the messiest when it comes to opening the presents, because she’s like a teenager. The older bear is gentler.”
While the enrichments may be festive in theme, keepers ensure they remain appropriate for the animals’ natural behaviours, while keeping them mentally and physically stimulated.
Keepers prepare a Christmas wreath–shaped enrichment for the tigers. (Photo: CNA/Joyee Koo)
For the tigers, one of the special festive enrichments includes a Christmas wreath made from water grass and Napier grass, with chunks of meat tucked into it and hung within the exhibit.
“This kind of enrichment engages our tigers in a more stimulating way, and also encourages them to use different muscle groups, including their hind and fore legs,” said keeper Julette Tay.
A Malayan tiger engages with a Christmas-themed enrichment. (Photo: CNA/Joyee Koo)
For the zookeepers, spending the festive season with the animals is especially meaningful.
“They’re also part of our family because we’ve cared for them for such a long time. It feels like spending time with family, enjoying the festive season together, and sharing that joy with our visitors as well,” Tay added.
Visitors can catch the animals enjoying their “Christmas gifts” during keeper sharing sessions from Dec 24 to 28. Tiger sessions take place from 10.30am to 11am, while Malayan sun bear sessions run from 4pm to 4.15pm, with additional sessions on Dec 24 and 25 for both animals.
Aurora-inspired light shows at the Cavern. (Photo: Mandai Wildlife Reserve)
Guests can also look forward to special light shows at the Cavern that mimic aurora and snowfall effects. Santa’s Adventure Quest invites visitors to hunt for hidden Christmas tokens along the Forest Treks, with prizes worth up to S$70,000 up for grabs.
An eight-metre-tall Tree of Life at Mandai Wildlife West, adorned with ornaments representing threatened species cared for in the wildlife parks, including the Negros bleeding-heart pigeon, Philippine spotted deer and Sunda pangolin. (Photo: CNA/Joyee Koo)
At the Singapore Zoo, families can take part in a special mission called Join the Wild Patrol!, inspired by Disney’s Zootopia 2, where young visitors help Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde solve a mystery to find a new friend, Gary De’Snake. Guests can additionally enjoy keeper sharing sessions featuring playful fennec foxes at the Animal Behaviour and Enrichment Centre, as well as observe reptile feeding at RepTopia.
Over at Bird Paradise, visitors can snap photos of penguin residents surrounded by snowflake projections as they dive into the lower level of Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove, or take part in the Penguin Christmas Hunt to locate festive tokens and redeem a special prize. The Wings of the World presentation is also getting a festive twist this season, with birds delivering Santa’s mail and gifts during the show.
For more information on Festive Wild-erland, visit Mandai Wildlife Reserve’s website.
