Today, Singapore Zoo has more than 4,200 animals from over 300 species, of which 34 per cent are threatened.
At a community event at the zoo on Wednesday, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, deputy chairman of Mandai Park Holdings, said that these animals are “at risk of extinction”, adding that the environment is being degraded and intervention of human beings in ways less than acceptable, like poaching of wildlife.
During the event, Mike Barclay, Group CEO of Mandai Wildlife Group, said: “Over the past fifty years, the Singapore Zoo has remained relevant and world-renowned because of our staff, our volunteers and our sponsors, who are all committed to caring for animals and educating visitors on how people and wildlife can thrive together.”
Answering media queries on how Singapore Zoo has kept itself relevant for 50 years, Mr Barclay said it is important to link into the zoological community.
“We are in the Southeast Asian Zoo Association, but we’re also in the Australian Zoo Association and the European, and we’re members of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. And we do that partly to pick up best practices and to exchange ideas with other zoological parks, and through that you’re always learning. You’re never thinking … we’re at this level, we can’t get better.
“I think you need to always be wanting to do better, and hopefully that serves you well,” said Mr Barclay.
He added that Singapore Zoo wants to engage more people in the future and have a bigger impact on the conservation space.