>Nature lovers looking for more to do will be excited to know that the Singapore Zoo has just introduced boat rides.
Since the start of this month, adult visitors can pay $4 for a single trip ticket ($2 for children) for a 20-minute guided ride along the Upper Seletar Reservoir to learn about the area's wildlife.
The rides are offered daily. Each of the four boats is named after one of the zoo's animal stars: Pedro the otter, Omar the white tiger, Komali the elephant, and Ah Meng, the zoo's world-famous female orang utan which died in February.
Ms Fanny Lai, group chief executive officer of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, said visitors on the rides can expect to see a diverse range of birds and marine life, while also viewing the plants growing by the water.
Birds to look out for include the brahminy kite and the collared kingfisher. In the water, fish such as luohan, tilapia and the South American stingray may be spotted.
Ms Lai said that 11/2 years ago, the zoo and the PUB embarked on the project to educate the public on the importance of water resources.
In keeping with its 'low-impact' approach, the project uses environmentally friendly electric-powered boats that have low noise levels, so as not to disturb the area's denizens.
Visitors have also been told not to throw litter into the reservoir.
'These boat rides will offer a different way for our visitors to appreciate the flora and fauna we have,' Ms Lai said. 'They can now learn a bit more about our local wildlife in its natural environment by hearing and seeing.'
Dhany Osman
This article was first published in The Sunday Times on Oct 12, 2008.
