Meet the 25 Stars of Mandai

Reading time: 11 minutes

Mandai Wildlife Reserve is home to 25 Stars of Mandai, individually named animals living across five wildlife parks: Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Night Safari, Bird Paradise and Rainforest Wild Adventure. Each one has a personality their keepers know by heart.

If you've visited before, you've almost certainly walked past several of them without knowing their names. Their keepers can tell all 25 apart at a glance, and not by markings, but by habit. Who comes over when someone new arrives. Who takes the long way round. Who's in the same spot every afternoon, without fail.

There are five personality types running through all 25 stars, and one of each lives in every single park. Wherever you're headed next, your type is already there.

Quick Reads

  • Five personality types, one of each in every park. Whichever park you walk into, your type is there.
  • Find your match and you've found your day out. Every star comes with a keeper talk, show or trail where you can actually go and see them.

Meet all 25 Stars of Mandai

Here they are, where each park is home to the 5 of them and a little about what makes each one who they are. Tap any name to read their full story.

Rainforest Wild Adventure

Rainforest Wild Adventure is Mandai's newest park, split across EAST and WEST.
Who You'll Find
Location
Little Interesting Facts
Serikin, the Malayan Tiger Serikin, the Malayan Tiger
Dr Lillyn Teh Rock Cascade, WEST Zone
Calm, confident and never hurried. She inspects her whole territory each morning and answers her keepers whenever they call her name.
Bayu, the Malayan Tapir Bayu, the Malayan Tapir
Watering Hole, WEST Zone
Impossible to miss and seems to know it, turning up at the Watering Hole whenever there's an audience.
Noi, the Malayan Sun Bear Noi, the Malayan Sun Bear
Watering Hole, WEST Zone
Works to her own schedule entirely, and will sometimes spend a whole afternoon on one log until she's satisfied.
Kisala, the Okapi Kisala, the Okapi
Hidden Forest, EAST Zone
Quiet, watchful and endlessly patient, keeping to the shade while noticing everything happening around her.
Miata, the Pygmy Hippo Miata, the Pygmy Hippo
Riverine Forest, EAST Zone
Curious rather than shy, usually the first to come over and see who's arrived at the viewing window.

Singapore Zoo

Singapore Zoo is home to more species than any other park in the reserve.
Who You'll Find
Location
Little Interesting Facts
Simba, the African Lion Simba, the African Lion
Wild Africa
A busybody who likes to be involved in everything. He claims the highest rock in Wild Africa and holds it.
Jubilee, the Rothschild's Giraffe Jubilee, the Rothschild's Giraffe
Wild Africa
Impossible to miss and seems to know it, turning up at the Watering Hole whenever there's an audience.
Pumba, the California Sea Lion Pumba, the California Sea Lion
Shaw Amphitheatre, Splash Safari presentation
Works to her own schedule entirely, and will sometimes spend a whole afternoon on one log until she's satisfied.
Bunny, the Linné's Two-toed Sloth Bunny, the Linné's Two-toed Sloth
Fragile Forest
Quiet, watchful and endlessly patient, keeping to the shade while noticing everything happening around her.
Ah Meng, the Sumatran Orangutan Ah Meng, the Sumatran Orangutan
Orangutan Island
Curious rather than shy, usually the first to come over and see who's arrived at the viewing window.

River Wonders

River Wonders is where Mandai's giant pandas live alongside otters, manatees and a red panda.
Who You'll Find
Location
Little Interesting Facts
Tucker, the Asian Small-clawed Otter Tucker, the Asian Small-clawed Otter
Boat Plaza, Once Upon A River presentation
Knows exactly when it's showtime, and lets everyone at Boat Plaza know if things are running even slightly late.
Kai Kai, the Giant Panda Kai Kai, the Giant Panda
Pavillion Capital Giant Panda Forest
Eats lying flat on his back, entirely unbothered by the crowd that gathers to watch him do it.
Canola, the Manatee Canola, the Manatee
Amazon Flooded Forest
Named after the canola oil her keepers fed her as a youngster, and easy to spot by her natural wrinkle “necklace.”
Karma, the Red Panda Karma, the Red Panda
Pavillion Capital Giant Panda Forest
Asleep in a favourite tree for most of the day, and comes down strictly on his own terms.
Lester, the Capybara Lester, the Capybara
Boat Plaza, Once Upon A River presentation
Gets along with absolutely everyone, precisely how capybaras earned their easy-going reputation.

Night Safari

Night Safari is the only park in the reserve you visit after dark, and five stars are worth planning an evening around.
Who You'll Find
Location
Little Interesting Facts
Neha, the Asian Elephant Neha, the Asian Elephant
Tram Route
Daughter of Chawang, Night Safari's much-loved bull elephant. Like her father, she knows exactly what she likes and shows it.
Narnia, the Binturong Narnia, the Binturong
Night Safari Amphitheatre, Creatures of the Night presentation
A natural performer who takes her place in the Creatures of the Night presentation, and smells faintly of warm buttered popcorn.
Newari, the Indian Rhinoceros Newari, the Indian Rhinoceros
Tiger Trail
Far gentler than all that armour suggests: steady, unflappable company for everyone sharing her space.
Cogsworth, the Tasmanian Devil Cogsworth, the Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian Devil Trail
The only one of our devils who greets his keepers with an “arf,” and rather prefers sleeping.
Radin, the Sunda Pangolin Radin, the Sunda Pangolin
Pangolin Trail
One of the first pangolins successfully born at Night Safari. He loves going up to his keepers to hug their boots.

Bird Paradise

Bird Paradise is the reserve's walk-through bird park, and five of its residents are Stars of Mandai.
Who You'll Find
Location
Little Interesting Facts
Amigo, the Yellow-Naped Amazon Amigo, the Yellow-Naped Amazon
PropNex Sky Amphitheatre
She sings in three languages and counts in two, and even knows her own name, Amigo.
Lady, the Southern Cassowary Lady, the Southern Cassowary
Mysterious Papua
She knows exactly what she wants, coming straight over for bananas and grapes, shower or no shower.
Juliet, the Great Hornbill Juliet, the Great Hornbill
Winged Sanctuary
She nests with Romeo, her long-term mate, sealing herself inside and trusting him to bring her every meal during nesting season.
Zane, the Shoebill Zane, the Shoebill
Rwanda Nyungwe Forest, Heart of Africa
He stands so still that guests have mistaken him for a statue.
Arlo, the King Penguin Arlo, the King Penguin
Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove
As a chick, he hid between his keeper's legs for comfort. All these years on, he still does it sometimes.

Five personalities. One of them is yours

 You've just met all 25. What you might have missed is that each one carries a title their keepers gave them, the kind that only comes from years of watching one animal do things no other tiger, or hornbill, or binturong does. Narnia's is “The Star of the Show,” and anyone who works nights will tell you it fits.

Those 25 titles fall into five bigger personality types, and there's exactly one of each in every park. Serikin is the best place to start: calm and confident, the Malayan tiger at Rainforest Wild Adventure who walks her whole territory like she owns it, because she does. Serikin is a Boss through and through.

Which Star of Mandai are you?

The Bosses know what they want and rarely take long deciding. Yours: Simba (Singapore Zoo), Tucker (River Wonders), Neha (Night Safari), Lady (Bird Paradise), Serikin (Rainforest Wild Adventure, WEST).

The Entertainers fill a room without trying, happier in the middle of things than at the edge. Yours: Pumba (Singapore Zoo), Kai Kai (River Wonders), Narnia (Night Safari), Amigo (Bird Paradise), Bayu (Rainforest Wild Adventure, WEST).

The Nurturers are the ones people come to, noticing when someone's struggling before they say so. Yours: Jubilee (Singapore Zoo), Canola (River Wonders), Newari (Night Safari), Juliet (Bird Paradise), Kisala (Rainforest Wild Adventure, EAST).

The Free Spirits move at their own pace and have never much minded what the room thinks. Yours: Bunny (Singapore Zoo), Karma (River Wonders), Cogsworth (Night Safari), Zane (Bird Paradise), Noi (Rainforest Wild Adventure, WEST).

The Social Butterflies would rather know one person properly than work a whole room, and they remember everyone. Yours: Ah Meng (Singapore Zoo), Lester (River Wonders), Radin (Night Safari), Arlo (Bird Paradise), Miata (Rainforest Wild Adventure, EAST).

Plan Your Visit

So, which one are you?

The Boss who already knows where everyone is sitting, or the Free Spirit who turned up whenever they felt like it? Take the quiz. It takes about a minute, and at the end you'll have one of our 25 stars, not just a personality type. A specific animal, with a name, living somewhere you can go and see them.

Head over to meet them

Start with your animal's page. It tells you which park they're in, where inside it, and when their keeper talks or show runs, which is usually enough to build a morning or an evening around. One thing worth knowing before booking your visit: five of our stars only come out after dark.

If you've matched with Neha, Narnia, Radin, Cogsworth or Newari, you're planning a Night Safari evening rather than a day out. And if your match lives at Rainforest Wild Adventure, check whether they're in EAST or WEST first.

Creatures of the Night presentation, Night Safari Creatures of the Night presentation, Night Safari
Splash Safari presentation, Singapore Zoo Splash Safari presentation, Singapore Zoo

Once you've met your match, there's usually a good day to build around them. All five parks sit on the same precinct, so adding a second is a short walk rather than a separate trip.

That's worth knowing if your match is nocturnal: Night Safari opens in the evening, so it pairs naturally with a day at Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Bird Paradise or Rainforest Wild Adventure, rather than replacing it. Keeper talks and shows run to set times, so it's worth checking See & Do before you go. Pick two or three, and let the rest of the day fall around them.

Frequently Asked Questions
How many Stars of Mandai are there?

There are 25 Stars of Mandai, individually named animals living across Mandai's five wildlife parks: Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Night Safari, Bird Paradise and Rainforest Wild Adventure.

Which Mandai wildlife park has the most Stars of Mandai?

None. All five parks have exactly five stars each, one of each personality type: a Boss, an Entertainer, a Nurturer, a Free Spirit and a Social Butterfly.

Can you see all 25 Stars of Mandai in one day?
Not comfortably. They're spread across five parks, and Night Safari only opens in the evening. Two parks in a day is realistic if you plan around opening hours; seeing all 25 works best across a multi-day visit or a Friends of Mandai membership.
Can you see elephants at both Singapore Zoo and Night Safari?

Yes, both parks are home to Asian elephants, but If you're hoping to see Neha specifically, head to over to Night Safari.

Which Stars of Mandai were born in Singapore?

11 of the 25 were born right here across the wildlife parks at the Mandai Wild Reserve

  • Rainforest Wild Adventure: Miata, the Pygmy Hippo, Bayu, the Malayan Tapir
  • Singapore Zoo: Simba,the African Lion, Jubilee, the Rothschild's Giraffe, Ah Meng, the Sumatran Orangutan
  • River Wonders: Tucker, the Asian Small-clawed Otter, Canola, the Manatee
  • Night Safari: Radin, the Sunda Pangolin, Neha, the Asian Elephant, Narnia, the Binturong
  • Bird Paradise: Arlo, the King Penguin
Do you need separate tickets for each Mandai Wildlife park?

Yes, each of the five parks requires its own ticket, though multi-park passes are available if you're planning to visit more than one on the same trip.

Which Mandai animal are you?
That depends on what kind of day you have. Take the quiz to find your match: not just a personality type, but a specific animal in one specific park.

Every visit to our destination comes with

Find out how, together, we're creating a better future for wildlife and the planet.

Learn More