Beyond animal care: What it means to be a modern zoo

It was a rainy afternoon in 2005, and they were indoors. Mr Saravanan Elangkovan was sitting on a stool when Komali, a 2,885kg Sri Lankan elephant, sauntered over and towered over him.

It was a gesture similar to what elephants do to protect their young.

And it was a breakthrough; a bridge had finally been built between human and animal. There was no command or cue. She had simply chosen to be near.

Their relationship, which began in 1997, hadn’t always been this way.

She used to keep me on my toes almost every day, says Mr Saravanan, who was 21 and a junior keeper when he first met Komali. Then about 55 in elephant years, Komali was showing signs of dominance. She had been brought here as a calf from Sri Lanka’s Dehiwala Zoo.

“Every time I walked past her, she’d be staring. Then her ears would go back; when you get closer, she’d start to kick.”

Back then, elephant care was grounded in hierarchy: Keepers were taught to be the alpha – firm, always in control – to train elephants and earn their respect.

“Komali was a tough nut to crack,” says Mr Saravanan, now 49 and vice-president of Animal Care (Operations) at Mandai Wildlife Group. “She’s got a very strong character. The first five years were tough.”

To Mr Saravanan, that rainy afternoon felt like the start of something different: A relationship not defined by who was in charge, but built on respect.

It reflected a wider shift at Mandai Wildlife Group, one that would reshape how all animals are cared for, and the ideal of a modern zoo – to advance not just animal care but also wildlife conservation.

Different ways to care

Today, caring for animals at Mandai Wildlife Group’s wildlife parks involves a deeper focus of their physical, behavioural and mental well-being.

The approach is reflected across the group’s five parks within the Mandai Wildlife Reserve:

• Singapore Zoo, home to over 4,200 animals and the world’s first free-ranging orangutan habitat.
• Night Safari, the world’s first night zoo, which features lighting made to imitate moonlight.
• River Wonders spotlights freshwater ecosystems and species, including the giant pandas.
• Bird Paradise showcases over 3,500 birds with eight walk-through aviaries.
• Rainforest Wild Asia, an adventure-based park that takes visitors through South-east Asia’s rainforest terrain.

One of the most visible changes is the use of “protected contact”, where keepers no longer share the same space as larger animals like elephants, and instead interact with them through barriers. And rather than performing tricks, animals are encouraged to cooperate in health checks with treats and praise.

It’s a shift in stark contrast to the era of Ah Meng, the zoo’s beloved orangutan known for her breakfast sessions with guests. From 1982 until about 2005, guests could dine alongside the gentle-natured ape. She died in 2008.

“Our approach to animal presentations and programmes has evolved significantly over the years,” says Mr Mike Barclay, group CEO of Mandai Wildlife Group.

“In the past, like many zoos, some shows included animals performing tricks, which was common at the time,” he says. “But as our understanding of animal welfare deepened, we made a conscious decision to change.”

Now, animals decide how and when to interact, says Mr Saravanan. This autonomy lets them behave more naturally.

At the heart of this change is the Five Domains of Animal Welfare: Nutrition, environment, health, behavioural interactions and mental state.

The framework, adopted by Mandai Wildlife Group in 2016, provides “a full picture of what good animal welfare really means”, says Mr Barclay. It’s not just about keeping them healthy, but also encouraging their natural behaviours.

That philosophy extends to feeding. Elephants like Komali used to be offered mostly fruits by visitors. Those are now reserved as occasional treats. Their main diet includes a wide variety of vegetables and dried food like hay.

Komali and Jati, her best friend, seem content with their new menu. When The Straits Times met Mr Saravanan, the elephants were gently picking cabbages from guests’ hands with their trunks.

Automated feeders also release food at different points around the habitat to encourage movement and foraging. Schedules are varied to reduce “anticipatory behaviour” like pacing, says Mr Saravanan, which could affect well-being.

Beyond the zoo

The broader purpose – of not just improving animal well-being, but also wildlife conservation and public education – extends behind the scenes.

Mr Saravanan coordinates animal transfers and breeding programmes with zoos around the world, including the South-east Asian Zoo and Aquarium Association (Seaza) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (Eaza).

Through its parks, Mandai Wildlife Group focuses on creating impactful wildlife experiences, engaging visitors and raising conservation awareness.

Meanwhile, its conservation arm Mandai Nature – part of Temasek Trust’s non-profit ecosystem – leads efforts with partners to protect wildlife in their natural habitats in South-east Asia. These include conservation experts, non-governmental organisations, educational institutions and local communities.

A portion of Mandai Wildlife Group’s revenue goes to Mandai Nature, which contributed over $4.5 million to biodiversity conservation in the financial year ending 31 March 2024.

One such success: the Rote Island snake-necked turtle. Once thought to be extinct in the wild, 23 of the critically endangered species were brought to Singapore in 2015 to form an “assurance colony” – a back-up population. The turtles came from breeding facilities in the US and Austria.

In 2021, the zoo-bred turtles were repatriated to a conservation breeding facility on Indonesia’s Rote Island through a joint effort between Mandai Wildlife Group, Mandai Nature, the Indonesian government and Wildlife Conservation Society Indonesia Programme (WCS Indonesia). By 2023, they were nesting.

“By protecting wildlife in their natural habitats and providing a safety net for these species within our zoos, we work together to ensure their survival both in the wild and in human care,” says Mr Barclay.

Mandai Wildlife Group’s parks also serve as a research and training hub, building expertise in veterinary and animal care.

Komali may not have grown up in a world with five welfare domains, but she’s helped people better understand animals – just by being herself.

When Mr Saravanan visits, Komali and Jati still reach out to him with their trunks, with their ears flapping and a soft rumble in their chests. Not asking for food – just greeting a familiar friend.

“That’s 28 years of relationship there,” says Mr Saravanan, wistfully.

Their connection reflects the shift in modern zoos: That care and conservation begin with relationships – with animals, people, and the world we share.

“We are proud to welcome millions of visitors from Singapore and around the world, but our real goal is to inspire a deeper connection with wildlife and a stronger commitment to conservation,” says Mr Barclay.

“When people connect emotionally, they’re more likely to care,” he adds. “And when they care, change becomes possible.”

This was first published in The Straits Times.