Animals In Our Care

Nicknamed antbear for its appetite for ants and termites, the aardvark can consume as many as 50,000 insects in a night.

Lions live in social groups known as prides, made up of one or more mature males, several closely-related females and their young. Males roar and spray urine to advertise their territory to rivals.

Hunting dogs look out for their pack members, especially the young and the sick.

Weighing up to 230kg, this slow-moving tortoise’s equally slow metabolism allows it to survive over a year without food or water.

Multi-coloured with a long tail ending in two racquets, this dashing crow-sized bird can be found across a broad swathe of lowland forests.

This species has the most vibrant plumage of all flamingo species.

The Andean cock-of-the-rock belongs to the cotinga family of colourful fruit-eating forest birds.

When size doesn't help. With 40,000-50,000 left in the wild, will the last of the megaherbivores be wiped out too?

Elephants in the wild can spend up to 19 hours a day feasting on a variety of plants.

With a comparatively shorter, sparser and darker mane, the male Asian lion's ears are exposed and visible at all times.

Living in close-knit social groups of up to 20 individuals, these otters communicate through squeals, chirps, screams and barks, and use scent marking to communicate and mark territory.

These smallest of 13 otter species in the world are social and playful animals.

The babirusa's twisted tusks can grow so long that, if not worn down, start curving back toward their own skull!

Babirusa means pig deer in Malay due to its tusks that look very much like the antlers of a deer.

Before conservation efforts brought them back, there were only six of these birds left in the wild in 2001.

The Bali myna is almost entirely white with long head plumes and black wing-tips. Endemic to Bali where it formerly ranged across the north-west third of the island, the species was never very widely distributed.

Whittled down by habitat loss, trapping for the pet trade and persecution as crop pests, there are only 1,500 to 7,000 mature blue-winged macaws left in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.

Orangutans are apes, which means that unlike monkeys, they do not have a tail. Found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, they have special feet with long toes for grasping branches, and long limbs that can stretch out far so that they can move easily through the treetops.

The brown lemur moves through the forest canopy on all fours. Its tail is as long as or longer than its body and is used to maintain its balance when it performs aerial leaps.

This bizarre bird inhabits the evergreen lowland rainforests of South America where it forages for fruits and large insects in the canopy.

The largest rodent on Earth, these semi-aquatic animals can sprint up to 35 km/h, and use their partially webbed feet to swim up to 8 km/h!

The fastest land animals, differentiate from other spotted cats by two black tear lines that extend from the corner of their eyes to the mouth.

In spite of their bright colours, macaws are camouflaged in the forest canopy as they blend in with the colourful fruits and flowers they feed on. The chestnut-fronted macaw is found throughout Central and South America.

Named for its cloud-shaped coat markings, this cat is threatened by hunting and habitat loss.

Emus belong to a family of flightless birds called ratites, which also include ostriches, rheas, cassowaries and kiwis.

Affectionately nicknamed the “Toddy cat”, this furry fellow is essential for seed dispersal and forest restoration.

Tamarins usually have twins or triplets. Dad piggybacks the babies most of the time, passing them back to mum only when the babies need to nurse.

See more of our Colobus monkeys at Primate Kingdom. They are capable of leaping up to 15 metres and are rarely seen on ground.

Critically endangered and just 3 inches long, this bright blue gecko uses colour—not venom—to avoid predators.

Named for the electrical charge it releases to stun its prey and enemies, the electric eel can generate up to 800 volts of electricity, enough to kill an adult human.

Having been recorded at lengths of 7m and weights of 1,000kg, it is the largest living reptile on earth.

Unlike some other cats, these felines love the water and are some of the best swimmers around. In fact, fishing cats have been seen swimming underwater to grab ducks’ legs!

What makes the fossa Madagascar’s top predator? Its adaptations include a good sense of smell and keen vision, even in low-light conditions.

These leaf-eating monkeys are born bright orange, but their fur gradually turns black as they grow up!

The Gaboon viper has the longest fangs of any venomous snake—up to 2 inches—and a powerful, silent strike.

Gentoo Penguins is the world’s fastest underwater bird, swimming at speeds of up to 36km/h!

As one of the world's largest freshwater fish, this stingray can weigh up to 600kg.

Come meet Singapore's resident giant pandas, Kai Kai and Jia Jia!

This largest of all otters can grow to a standing height of 1.8m and take down small caimans.

Two young Rothschild’s giraffes Adhil and Balaji arrived at Singapore Zoo, part of a globally managed breeding programme under the EAZA Ex-situ Programme.

The golden-shouldered parrot nests in conical termite mounds. Dubbed the ‘antbed parrot’, it excavates its nest during the wet season when the mound is rain softened.

Known for their extreme toxicity, these frogs produce toxins twenty times more potent than that of any other poison dart frog.

Great Argus are amongst the largest pheasants, related to the peafowls.

Despite their names, greater mousedeer are neither rodents nor true deer. They belong to their own unique family, Tragulidae, and are considered one of the most primitive living ungulates (hoofed mammals)!

Hailing from the forests of Central America, the great green macaw is Critically Endangered with only 500 to 1,000 mature individuals surviving in the wild.

This parrot loves company. Hundreds of them gather to roost communally in a few trees, socialising in animated chatters before spending the night together.

The green basilisk lizard is also known as the plumed or double-crested basilisk. Males can be distinguished by the showy crests on their heads and backs, which are used to impress females.

One of the largest kangaroo species commonly found in Australia, the eastern grey kangaroo swims well and evades predators by diving.

Among the 350 odd parrot species worldwide, grey parrots are best able to mimic human speech.

Hamadryas baboon are hardy monkeys with a strong build and a dog-like snout. Males and females look so dissimilar that they have been thought to be of different species.

The hyacinth macaw stands out as the largest of all parrots at 1 m long, attractively cloaked in cobalt blue feathers.

Males grow a snout bump that acts as a vocal resonator and helps attract mates during the breeding season.

A narrow snout, attended by an array of fearsome teeth, helps the gharial catch its fish.

We help conserve them, protecting their natural habitat through the cultivation of sustainable shade coffee, Owa Coffee.

Only a few mammals are known to produce venom and the slow loris is one of them. It mixes the secretion from a gland on the underside of its arm with its saliva to produce a toxin.

The King Penguin stands at a height of 1 metre. It is the second tallest penguin, after the Emperor Penguin, which is 1.3m tall.

Venomous and massive, this lizard runs at speeds up to 20km/h, and can even vomit to flee faster when threatened!

The cackle of the laughing kookaburra is an iconic sound of the dry eucalypt forests of eastern Australia at dawn and dusk.

With fewer than 50 of them left in Singapore and its surrounding islands, the Leopard cat is Singapore’s last wild cat. Be sure to slow down for them when driving along forested areas!

Out of six flamingo species, the lesser flamingo is the smallest and most numerous with around three million individuals.

With a rodent-like face and a rabbit's body perched precariously atop the pencil-thin feet of a piglet, the mousedeer looks like an odd mix of different animals.

With a wingspan of 1.5 – 1.7m, these are some of the largest bats in the world.

When night falls, the flying foxes leave their daytime roost to feed. their keen vision and sense of smell helps them locate fruit and flowers easily.

Despite their shape, they can run through dense forest vegetation, climb steep slopes on riverbanks, and swim with great finesse!

These big cats are expert swimmers and hunters, having been recorded venturing from water up to 2km above sea level!

Tigers are at the apex of the food chain. These solitary hunters can handle animal prey up to a ton in weight.

Manatees and their dugong cousins are the only aquatic mammals to feed solely on plants.

Natives call the masked lapwing the ‘spear-carrying bird’ due to the sharp yellow spurs on its wings.

Growing up to 3.2m long with a weight of almost 300kg, this large fellow is one of the world's largest freshwater fish.

The military macaw’s curious name is inspired by the green hue of its feathers, similar to the colour of military uniforms. Ranging from Mexico to Argentina, it makes a throaty roar that carries for long distances.

The northern cassowary, the world's fourth largest bird, is incredibly agile, able to run 50 kilometers (30 miles) per hour through dense undergrowth, leap 2 meters (7 ft) into the air, and even swim.

Like other parrots, the northern red-shouldered macaw moves around in flocks, seeking out seeds, fruits, and flowers. These gregarious birds are also known to raid crops and rice fields.

Rockhopper penguins are so named because of their ability to hop over rocks and boulders, sometimes reaching heights of up to 1.8m.

The female kiwi produces the largest egg for its body size - the giant egg can weigh up to 25% of her body weight.

The palm cockatoo is the world’s largest cockatoo. Its distinctive cheek patch of bare skin flushes from pink to bright red when the bird is alarmed or excited.

The Papuan hornbill is the only hornbill in New Guinea. Called ‘Kokomo’ in local Tok Pisin language, it is a show stealer. In flight, its wings give off a very loud whooshing sound.

We support their conservation with species repopulation, habitat assessment and protection, and community outreach.

This cotinga showcases sexual dimorphism where the sexes take on different looks. The male has handsome burgundy feathers coloured by carotenoid pigments while the female is ashy grey.

Endemic to the island of Seram in the vast Indonesian archipelago, the purple-naped lory is the only red parrot in its forests with green wings.

They are native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily in Liberia, with smaller populations in neighboring countries.

Long movable ears and large eyes placed high on the head, providing near-360° vision, help rabbits detect predators from afar. Powerful hind-limbs help them make a quick getaway.

Rainbow lorikeets, found in habitats ranging from forest edges to urban areas, once had a broader range. Today, however, they are confined to Australia, with populations elsewhere now recognized as distinct species.

Widespread in Central and South America, the red-and-green macaw resembles the better-known scarlet macaw except that it has green instead of yellow wing coverts.

The red-bellied macaw of South America eats Mauritia palm fruits almost exclusively, expertly peeling away the scaly husk with its hooked bill, muscular tongue and dexterous toes.

The critically endangered red-fronted macaw is only found in the Andean valleys of three rivers in Bolivia, with about 272 mature individuals in the wild.

The most colourful primate, with tails usually the same length, or even slightly longer than their bodies!

The douc langur's almond eyes and delicate features lend a kind of wistful magic to their beauty.

Cockatoos are large parrots, known for their long life spans that range from 40 to 70 years. They differ from other parrots in that they have a head crest and no blue or green feathers. Black cockatoos are found only in Australia.

The red panda's fiery red coat is no doubt why its name in Chinese literally means 'fire fox'.

Game for a scaly good time? Slither down to RepTopia at Singapore Zoo and learn more about the regal horned lizard.

A repertoire of some 22 different calls helps these primates engage in complex social interactions.

Named for its unique spoon-shaped bill, the roseate spoonbill has attractive pink plumage and a defined carmine wing patch. The bare green skin on its head takes on a yellowish hue during the breeding season.

The Zoo hosts Asia’s only colony of this rare turtle, helping safeguard its future.

A relative of toucans and aracaris, the smallish saffron toucanet occupies the Atlantic Forests of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Found only in Bali, Lombok, and nearby islands, this restricted-range lorikeet inhabits lowland forests and is recognized by its four subspecies.

They are what they eat – scarlet ibises feed on crayfish, crabs and aquatic insects which give their plumage the bright red colour.

A macaw’s beak can crack the hardest nut and even crush your finger. Its flexible and scaly tongue contains a bone.

The largest of all gibbons, this endangered arboreal, black-furred ape is native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The sloth bears use their sickle-shaped claws as ‘climbing hooks’ to hoist themselves up trees. They climb not to escape danger, but to get at termite or bee nests.

The southern cassowary is the third biggest bird after the ostrich and emu. Compared to the single wattled northern cassowary, it is slightly larger and has two wattles, which hang loosely from its neck.

Commonly known as the “Royal Turtle” in Cambodia, it is critically endangered by hunting and deforestation.

They look like large dogs, but are more closely related to cats like lions and tigers. Their powerful jaws give them the strongest bite of any mammal.

Known for its melodious calls, the straw-headed bulbul has been hunted to extinction across much of its range in Southeast Asia.

Sturgeons have rows of bony plates covering the head and along the body. The upper lobe of its tail fin is longer than the lower.

Found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, they have special feet with long toes for grasping branches, and long limbs that can stretch out far so that they can move easily through the treetops.

Male and female eclectus parrots look so different that they were once thought to be separate species. Males are predominantly green; females are red or purplish red.

Averaging 1.5m tall, it is the smallest of all 8 bear species. Their long tongue helps extract honey and insects.

Sun bears get their name from the sun-shaped patches of fur they have on their chests.

Scaly from tip to tail, this primarily nocturnal mammal curls into a ball and protects itself with its scales when threatened.

Small but mighty, the Sunda slow loris remains as Singapore’s sole venomous primate and is key for its ecosystem’s seed dispersal and insect control.

The sun parakeet is green on the wings, scarlet on the breast and golden orange on the head and neck. This brilliant mix of colours is characteristic of their genus Aratinga, a group of “mini-macaws” found predominantly in northeastern Brazil.

The name “devil” may come from the sounds they make. They make eerie growls while searching for food at night.

Often confused with owls, the nocturnal tawny frogmouth is closely related to night jars. It has a flat, wide beak like a frog’s mouth, hence its common name.

These kangaroos traverse the treetops with ease with their powerful arms, sharp claws and long tail.

Whether they are sleeping, eating, mating, or giving birth, sloths carry out most of their activities hanging upside-down from tree branches.

We manage an insurance colony for this critically endangered bird, working towards its eventual reintroduction into the wild.

Sakis can make downward leaps covering close to 10m, a feat which has earned them the nickname “flying monkeys”. Head down to Fragile Forest or Primate Kingdom zones to see them in action.

A huge animal that feeds exclusively on grass, the white rhino has a wide mouth shaped for ‘mowing’ short grass. Its square lips set it apart from the hook-lipped black rhino.

White tigers are not albinos or a different sub-species of tigers. Their white coat, brown stripes and blue eyes are the result of a mutated gene. Both white and orange-coloured tiger cubs can be found in the same litter.

A woylie can move six tons of soil per year in nocturnal diggings in search of its favourite food: truffles.

Chattering lories are predominantly red in colour with green wings. Three subspecies are endemic to the forests of North Moluccas, with each occupying different island clusters and varying slightly in appearance.

Stallions of this species mark and maintain territories using middens (dung piles). The Grevy's zebra is distinguished from other zebras by its round ears, white underbelly and the bullseye stripe pattern on its rump.