Animal Park

SINGAPORE didn't always have its famous zoo, even if it seems that way. The first one opened at the Singapore Botanic Gardens in 1875 after a suggestion by a governor at the time, Sir Henry Ord. However, it closed in 1905 due to lack of funds to keep the animals and the inability to manage their high mortality rates. From the 1920s to the 1960s, several private zoos were kept, such as the Punggol Zoo in 1928 and the Singapore Miniature Zoo in 1957.

It was only in 1969 that the Singapore Zoological Gardens company was set up. With S$9 million from the government, along with 260 acres of land, it set out to create what is now a top tourist destination.

The Singapore Zoo was officially opened in June 1973 by then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Goh Keng Swee. It was located on land near the Seletar Reservoir and adopted an "open zoo" concept.