River Safari

River Safari
80 Mandai Lake Road

https://www.wrs.com.sg/en/river-safari.html

Manatee

Opening Hours:
Daily 10am - 6pm

Admission Fees (In SGD $):
Adults: $34 or $29
Child (3 - 12 Years Old): $23 or $20
Amazon River Quest Add-On: $5
The lower prices stated here are for Singapore Citizens & PR

Estimated Visiting Duration:
2 - 5 Hours

List Of Star Attractions (Must See):
Giant Panda
Red Panda
Manatee
Emperor Tamarin
Squirrel Monkey
Alligator Gar
Goliath Tigerfish

List Of Main Attractions (Good To See):
Giant River Otter
Giant Freshwater Stingray
Sturgeon
Yangtze Chinese Alligator
Electric Eel
Red-Bellied Piranha
Indian Gharial
Alligator Snapping Turtle
African Dwarf Crocodile
African Tigerfish
Archerfish
Milky Stork
Crab-Eating Macaque
Jaguar
Flamingo
Scarlet Ibis
Brazilian Tapir
Capybara
Giant Anteater

List Of Other Attractions (For A Complete Experience):
Giant Catfish
Motoro Stingray
Giant Chinese Salamander
Green Anaconda
Silver Arowana
Chinese Soft Shell Turtle
Arapaima Gigas
Pacman Catfish
Goonch Catfish
Congo Tetra
Giant Freshwater Puffer Fish
Mudskipper
Australian Lungfish
African Arowana
Bichir
Giraffe Catfish
Mekong Giant Catfish
Elephant Trunk Snake
Prairie King Snake

Decent River-Themed Wildlife Experience

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Visited: Jun-2019

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The first of its kind in Asia, the River Safari is a river-themed zoo and aquarium, managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore. The smallest wildlife park in the group, the River Safari opened in April 2013, and is home to over 300 species of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, housed in 11 different zones, all recreated to be similar to the world's natural ecosystems.

Begin at the River Wonders zone, an exhibit which offers a glimpse of the amazing diversity of plant and animal life that thrives in and around freshwater rivers. The Mississippi River zone features North American wildlife from the world’s fourth longest river, such as the huge Alligator Gar and the fierce Alligator Snapping Turtle. The Congo River zone has colourful fish from the world’s deepest river, including the sprightly Congo Tetra, and the confused-looking Giant Freshwater Puffer Fish.

Continue into the Nile River zone, where spectacular and savage wildlife from the world's longest and most ancient river dwell, such as the menacing Goliath Tigerfish, and the carnivorous Bichir. Proceed on to the small Ganges River zone, where you might glimpse the sleek Indian Gharial, or the lumbering Goonch Catfish, from this sacred river. Head down towards the Mary River zone, where you'll see some of the most unique aquatic biodiversity on the planet, including the dual-air-and-water-breathing Australian Lungfish, and the sharpshooting Archerfish.

The path takes you on to the Mekong River zone, which is the world's most productive river. Home to giants, you'll see the awe-inspiring Giant Freshwater Stingray which can grow up to 600kg, the large Elephant Trunk Snake which lives up to its name, and the territorial and fuzzy Crab-Eating Macaque. Next, the Yangtze River zone brings you to the fully-armoured Yangtze Chinese Alligator, and the valuable Sturgeon, which is famed for producing luxurious caviar.

This segues nicely into the Giant Panda Forest zone, where the stars of the River Safari live. This climate-controlled, state-of-the-art biodome is home to Kai Kai and Jia Jia, and the pampered Giant Pandas not only have an environment that simulates their natural habitat, but also receive a special diet to keep them healthy, including 4 different types of bamboo. Here, you can also watch the uber-cute Red Pandas at play.

The other half of the River Safari is a single zone divided into 3 areas, themed as the Wild Amazonia zone. The first area features boat rides, such as the Amazon River Quest, which recreates a boat journey along the Amazon River. Here, you'll spot wildlife like the powerful Jaguar, the elegant Flamingo, the pretty Scarlet Ibis, the pompous-looking Capybara, and more. The second area is a series of exhibits such as the beautiful Silver Arowana, the quirky Emperor Tamarin, and the Squirrel Monkey Forest, where you'll come up-close-and-personal with the cheeky Squirrel Monkey.

End your tour of the River Safari at the third and final area, the Amazon Flooded Forest. This giant aquatic exhibit is a 10m deep aquarium in a serene hall, immersing you in the underwater life here. It features the shocking Electric Eel, the dangerous Red-Bellied Piranha, and the massive Arapaima Gigas. The stars here are the playful Manatees, also known as 'Sea Cows', and oft mistaken for mermaids of legend. Look out for grand dame Eva (the largest, and the matriarch here), old and lanky Pedro, and baby Canola, the mascot of River Safari.

If you're planning a visit to River Safari, do note the admission price is SGD $34 per adult, or SGD $29 for adult Singaporeans, and allocate between 2 - 5 hours for viewing. The price of the Amazon River Quest is a separate SGD $5, which you can choose to add-on. General photography is allowed, but not flash photography. Best to wear a good pair of walking shoes, less obvious jewelry or accessories (as you'll be in close proximity to animals in some enclosures), and drink lots of water.

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