The Singapore Zoo formerly known as the Singapore Zoological Gardens occupies 28 hectares of land on the margins of Upper Seletar Reservoir within Singapore's heavily forested central catchment area. The zoo opened on 23 June 1973. It is operated by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, who also manages the neighboring Night Safari and the Jurong Bird Park. There are about 315 species of animal in the zoo, of which some 16% are considered threatened species. The zoo attracts about 1.4 million visitors a year.
From the beginning, Singapore Zoo followed the modern trend of displaying animals in naturalistic, 'open' exhibits, i.e. with hidden barriers, behind moats and shrubbery etc. Today, the zoo is a model of the 'open zoo' concept. The animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures, separated from the visitors by either dry or wet moats. The moats are concealed with vegetation or dropped below the line of vision. In the case of dangerous animals which can climb very well, moat barriers are not used. Instead, these animals are housed in landscaped glass-fronted enclosures. It also houses the largest captive colony of orangutans in the world.
Among various attractions that the zoo offers, one highlight is the "Breakfast with an Orangutan" program that allows visitors to meet and interact closely with the orangutans in the zoo, amongst which includes the famous primate matriarch Ah Meng, (died on February 8, 2008) who was an icon of the Singapore tourism industry. Animal shows, as well as token feedings coupled with live commentaries by keepers, are also the daily staple in the Singapore zoo.
The zoo also offers various modes of rides available within the premises: trams, animals, boat, pony and horse carriage rides. Additional modes of transportation which can only be rented include: strollers, wagon and wheelchairs.
The Night Safari is the world's first nocturnal zoo and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Singapore. The Night Safari was officially opened on 26 May 1994 and occupies 40 hectares of secondary rainforest adjacent to the Singapore Zoo and Upper Seletar Reservoir. The Night Safari currently houses over 1,000 animals of 120 species, of which 29% are threatened species. The zoo is managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, and about 1.1 million visitors visit the safari per year. The night safari opens daily at 7pm and admission closes at 12 midnight.
Unlike traditional nocturnal houses, which reverse the day-night cycle of animals so they will be active by day, the Night Safari is an entire open-air zoo set in a humid tropical forest that is only open at night. It is divided into eight geographical zones, which can be explored either on foot via three walking trails, or by tram. The animals of the Night Safari, ranging from Indian rhinoceros to tarsiers, are made visible by lighting that resembles moonlight. Although it is brighter than full moonlight by a few orders of magnitude, it is dim enough not to disturb nocturnal and crepuscular animals' behavior. Exhibits in the safari come from South America and other parts of Asia.