Night Safari is the world’s first nocturnal wildlife park. And can you believe that it is now 30 years old? At the beloved attraction, visitors experience viewing the animals in the forest of Mandai, watching them move around in the darkness of the night.
New Pangolin Trail at Night Safari Opening Soon
A new Pangolin walking trail dedicated to native wildlife and Southeast Asian species like the Sunda pangolin and binturong will soon be unveiled.
The 280m-long walking trail will allow visitors to encounter about a dozen different animal species including the Sunda pangolin, slow loris, binturong, oriental small-clawed otter and spotted giant flying squirrel.
The new Pangolin Trail will be the first fully sheltered walking trail at Night Safari, allowing guests to explore the jungle and its mysterious denizens at night under all weather conditions. The trail is easily accessible from the entrance of the park.
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Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, Deputy CEO and Chief Life Sciences Officer of Mandai Wildlife Group, said, “The new Pangolin Trail tells the story of our ongoing mission to conserve this critically endangered species, with a holistic plan to protect them both in the wild, as well as in our care. The trail will offer guests the unique experience of seeing and learning about the shy and elusive pangolin being active at night.”
The Sunda pangolin is one of 20 species that Mandai Wildlife Group and its conservation arm, Mandai Nature, have jointly identified for conservation under the One Plan Approach, which aims to restore the population of a species both within and outside their natural range through collaborative conservation work between government bodies, international conservation partners and local communities.
Overview of Night Safari
Singapore’s Night Safari makes for a great evening out. Go on a tram ride to view animals in their nocturnal habitats or venture along walking trails for a more intimate look at creatures going about their night time activities. From the small to the majestic, there are plenty of animals to encounter during a visit to the Night Safari.
For those who may be visiting Night Safari for the first time, here is a quick overview of the wildlife park.
After going past the Main Entrance, to the left is the Amphitheatre where the Creatures of the Night presentation takes place.
Creatures of the Night Show
You will need to book tickets to the Creatures of the Night show. The show takes place at 7.30 pm, 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm daily.
The booking period opens two hours before the show time. Bookings can be made here for the Creatures of the Night show.
Night Safari Tram
The best way to get an overview of the Night Safari is to take the tram. The tram station is located just beyond the Entrance Courtyard and the tram ride is included with the admission price.
The Night Safari tram will take you around the park and it offers a commentary as you drive past the various animal exhibits.
The tram will take you to the East Lodge station. This is where you can either opt to go on a walking trail or continue on to view the rest of the park. Take note that there are some sections of the park that are only accessible via the tram.
Walking Trails at Night Safari
For a more intimate look at the animals at Night Safari, go on one of the walking trails. The Night Safari walking trails lead to one another, criss-crossing the forests of Mandai.
This is our personal favourite way to explore Night Safari. These trails include:
- Fishing Cat Trail
- Leopard Trail
- East Lodge Trail
- Tasmanian Devil Trail – a highlight of this trail is the Naracoorte Cave, a structure modelled after the natural South Australian feature.
- Pangolin Trail (Coming Soon)
Night Safari Animal Exhibits
Here are some of our favourite Night Safari exhibits that you must see on a visit.
Asian Bull Elephant
Chawang is the park’s iconic Asian bull elephant. View him at his new bull elephant habitat that includes enrichment features like a ‘stable grazer’ that releases hay at random timings will encourage the giant pachyderm to forage more actively. This not only improves his health but also enhances the elephant’s visibility for guests. A look-out deck which can be accessed on foot will allow visitors to observe Chawang at close range.
Asian Lion
The Asian Lion can be found along the Night Safari’s Leopard Trail. These majestic cats are found in the Gir forest of India. This Night Safari exhibit comes to life at token feedings held on Fridays, Saturdays and the Eve of Public Holidays at 8 pm and 9 pm.
Slow Loris
With its round head, huge eyes and deliberate movements, the Slow Loris looks cute and cuddly. However, did you know that it is one of the few mammals that has a toxic bite. This is obtained by licking a gland under its arm that secretes toxins. Preferring to sleep during the day, its huge eyes allow this Southeast Asian native to see at night as it goes about foraging for food. The Slow Loris can be found along the Leopard Trail.
Nile Hippo
The Nile Hippo is the third largest land mammal in the world and native to Africa. At home both in the water and on land, you can view them from the comfort of the Night Safari tram’s seats at the Equatorial Africa section of the tram ride.
Malayan Tapir
Malayan Tapirs are very distinctive with their black and white markings which serve as camouflage to help them blend into the night. They have very poor eyesight and rely heavily on their sense of smell to search for food. You can view them from the Night Safari tram as they wander about their open enclosure at the Asian Riverine Forest exhibit.
Tasmanian Devil
The Night Safari’s Tasmanian Devil Trail is where you will find the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial. They get their name from the eerie sounds they make while searching for food at night.
The Devils have arrived in Singapore in 2022 as part of the insurance population managed by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Programme (STDP), led by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania.
Sugar Gliders
At the start of the Tasmanian Devil Trail is an exhibit of Sugar Gliders. You will have been quick to spot these small creatures jumping from tree to tree. These marsupials are found in the rainforests of Australia and Indonesia. They are known as Sugar Gliders for their love for sweet fruit and vegetables and their gliding membrane that helps them soar quickly between trees.
Indian Rhino
Not only can you get up close to the Indian rhinoceros but you can also feed them Night Safari. They can be found along the East Lodge Trail and you will need to make a booking to feed them.
Palm Civets
You can find both Common Palm Civets and Small-toothed Palm Civets at the Civet Exhibit located along the Leopard Trail. These animals are native to Singapore and spend much of their time in the trees. The 677 square metre exhibit has been designed to have an abundance of trees and branches for the nocturnal animals to climb.
Other interesting animals that you can encounter while at the Night Safari include the aardvark, binturong, fishing cat, serval and Southern three-banded armadillo.
Events at Night Safari
There are also various activities and events held at Night Safari throughout the year. For example, towards the year-end period, you can look out for Secret-Wild-erland.
