Wildlife Healthcare and Research

As one of the world’s premier wildlife parks, WRS recognises the need to have in-house healthcare and research centres to address the needs of the different species of animals and birds at the parks.

WILDLIFE HEALTHCARE AND RESEARCH CENTRE

In March 2006, WRS set up the Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre (WHRC) to boost its research and conservation capabilities of animals at Night Safari and Singapore Zoo. The new WHRC, a 1,600- square-metre, double-storey facility that cost S$3.6 million to build, was officially opened by President S R Nathan.

Built purposefully to provide medical care for the animals, WHRC has facilities such as the treatment room, surgery room, laboratory, x-ray room, pharmacy, animal wards and post-mortem room. There is also an interpretive gallery where visitors are able to gain an insight into the veterinary practices and cases.

For more information on WHRC, visit Singapore Zoo’s website HERE.

BREEDING AND RESEARCH CENTRE

Zoos around the world recognise that continued human development means extinction for many species. Captive breeding programmes may be the only hope of saving some species for succeeding generations.

In 1988, the Bird Park launched an active breeding programme by building its Breeding and Research Centre (BRC). This facility of specialisation is to enable the Bird Park to concentrate its efforts in the breeding of endangered birds.

It has 110 breeding aviaries for individual pairs of birds, supported by a nerve centre, with nurseries, laboratory, egg-incubation room and food preparation room.

The BRC also acts as a support facility for breeding of birds in the display aviaries. Eggs and chicks that are abandoned by the parents are transferred to the nursery for incubation and handrearing. The BRC team takes on the role of surrogate mothers for eggs and chicks that are abandoned by parents, transferring them to the nursery for incubation and hand rearing.

The BRC also keeps records of the birds’ courting display, parental neo-natal behaviour and nesting and breeding requirements. This information is vital to the park’s breeding programme and will also be useful to other aviculturalists and ornithologists as the Park hopes to become a centralised resource library on Southeast Asian bird species.

For more information on BRC, visit Jurong Bird Park’s website HERE.