AESTHEHumanities! Weekly

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1 ISSUE 3: Term 1 Week 6, 8 February 2017 AESTHEHumanities! Weekly Exclusively brought to you by the AES Humanities Department The Singapore Zoo makes Singapore a better place for children and their parents. ~ Mr. Lee Kuan Yew~ ALL ABOUT THE BIG WORLD WE LIVE IN EXCLUSIVE NEWS TODAY Mandai: Singapore s upcoming ecotourism hub Featuring two new wildlife parks and eco-accomodation Mandai is set to become bigger and better, with plans underway to turn the leafy swathe of land in northern Singapore into a 126ha ecotourism hub. The area now houses the Singapore Zoo, the River Safari and the Night Safari. But from as early as 2020, they will be joined by two new attractions - the Bird Park, which will be relocated from Jurong, and the new Rainforest Park. There will also be eco-sensitive accommodations such as camps, tents and family rooms. At the Rainforest Park, visitors can go on a "multi-layered adventure" on aerial walkways that extend from the forest floor to the treetop canopies.

2 Over at the Bird Park, visitors can observe birds in their natural environments at the nine aviaries with different landscapes from around the world, such as wetlands, bamboo forests and rainforests. The Bird Park will also house a breeding and research facility, which aims to increase the populations of critically endangered species such as the Bali mynah, black-winged starling and blue-crowned laughing thrush. Plans for the massive Mandai makeover were first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in September 2014, during a live television forum. PM Lee had said then that the area would be rejuvenated with a "bigger, better zoo". Jurong Bird Park would also be moved there, he said. Concerns for wildlife The massive Mandai makeover will undoubtedly enable more people to get closer to nature and help them to better appreciate the great 2

3 outdoors. However, nature groups had expressed concern then that the "Disneyfication" of the area, as well as the noise, crowds and pollution that come with it, could negatively affect wildlife there. The authorities sought to allay these concerns, saying that care will be taken to ensure the area is developed sensibly. They also said the development will take place on previously occupied and already impacted land. Buffer zones to minimise disturbance During the project s development period, buffer zones where no construction or human activity will take place of between 45m and 50m wide will be provided between development areas and the nature reserves, to minimise disturbance to flora and fauna. An eco-link will be constructed in the buffer zone to connect two parcels of the nature reserve, on either side of Mandai Lake Road. This will allow wildlife to move safely across. 3

4 Contrary to popular belief, our famous Singapore Zoological Gardens (or Mandai Zoo), opened in 1973, was not the first zoo in Singapore. It is the first and only national zoo, but before it, there were already several private zoos operating in Singapore. The Punggol Zoos A forgotten past a zoo at Punggol History of the zoos in Singapore One of the early private zoos was located in Punggol. It was simply called Ponggol and was owned by wealthy Indian trader William Lawrence Soma Basapa ( ) between 1920s and 1940s. Nicknamed the Animal Man, Basapa had his original zoo at 317 Serangoon Road. The animal lover saw it an opportunity to charge entrance fees to the increasing number of visitors, but his animal collection would grow so large that there were complaints about its stench, noise and overcrowding of animals. In the 1920s, Basapa decided to move his animals to a 27- acre of land he bought at Punggol. His new zoo was 4

5 considered modern then, equipped with power generators and had workers dormitories. Basapa s own weekend resort was standing by the sea. An American film company even visited the zoo in 1933 to shoot a fighting scene between a man and a python. However, Basapa s precious zoo would be destroyed before the Japanese invasion. Identifying the Punggol end as a potential landing site for the Japanese invaders, the British forces wanted to make use of the Ponggol Zoo as a defensive ground. With limited time, Basapa could not find an alternate place to relocate his zoo, prompting the British to shoot the animals and free the birds. After the fall of Singapore, the Japanese confiscated Basapa s power generators and steel cages, using the site to store their supplies and ammunition. A devastated Basapa passed away in Another zoo, also located in Punggol near the Seventeenth Avenue, was started by a landlord named Chan Kim Suan (unknown-1996). Also an animal lover, he converted his agricultural lands into a private zoo in 1958, and registered it as Singapore Zoo. During its heydays, the zoo showcased dozens of animals such as tigers, lions, baby elephants, pythons, baboons, tapirs, crocodiles and sea lions on a landsize of five football fields. 5

6 Also functioning as an animal breeding center, the Singapore Zoo (or popularly Punggol Zoo) was opened free to the public. Chan Kim Suan largely earned his fortune through animal trading, and one of his main trades was the export of rhesus monkeys to America for research. Years after Punggol Zoo ceased to exist, the Singapore Zoological Gardens finally replaced it as the official Singapore Zoo. Other Early Private Zoos In 1840, local Chinese businessman Hoo Ah kay ( ) built a grand mansion at Serangoon called Whampoa Gardens or Nam Sang Fa Un. It housed many rare exotic animals and was opened to the public during the Chinese New Years and other festivals. However, this privilege was discontinued after one of Hoo Ah Kay s favourite birds was killed by a visitor. Before the independence of Singapore, local students, such as the early batch from Bukit Panjang Government School, would also travel freely to the Johore Zoo for excursions. 6

7 Animals in Circus Circuses showcasing animals were extremely popular in the fifties and sixties. In 1968, the Great Royal Circus of India arrived at Singapore, bringing with them a group of tigers, lions, chimpanzees, bears, elephants and a rare liger (crossbreed of a lion and a tiger). Another famous circus was the Great Tai Thean Kew Circus ( 大天球马戏团 ) started by Sze Bing Shen after the Second World War. During the fifties, the local circus travelled all over Malaya and Singapore with its elephants, entertaining many young and old. HUMANITIES PASSPORT: Question: What is one concern highlighted by nature groups regarding the construction of Mandai makeover? Sources: First Article: Second Article: 7