Jurong Bird Park
Jurong Bird Park is an aviary and tourist attraction in Jurong, Singapore. The bird park covers an area of on the western slope of Jurong Hill, the highest point in the Jurong region. It is one of the parks managed by Mandai Wildlife Reserve the makers of Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, Singapore and River Wonders. Wildlife Reserves Singapore reported on 1 June 2016 that in 2020, Jurong Bird Park would be relocated to Mandai Lake Road with a new name for the Bird Park. However, due to impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, the move was pushed back  to 2022. On 13 October 2021, the Mandai Wildlife Group announced that the park's successor in Mandai would be named Bird Paradise. History. The idea of a permanent aviary was first conceived by the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, then Minister for Finance, in 1968. During a World Bank meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Dr Goh visited its zoological garden and was impressed with its free-flight aviary. He set out to ensure that Singaporeans would have a place where they could escape from urban life and relax with nature. Work on the aviary started in January 1969. A  35-acre site on the western slope of Bukit Peropok in Jurong was chosen for the project. The bird park was expected to be completed by the end of 1969. On 3 January 1971, Jurong Bird Park, built at a cost of S$3.5 million, was opened to the public. Jurong Bird Park is now a world-famous bird zoo where there are specimens of magnificent bird life from around the world, including a large flock of flamingos. It is currently the world's largest bird park in terms of the number of birds, and second largest both in the number  of bird species and land area (after Germany's Weltvogelpark Walsrode). There are 5,000 birds of 400 species in Jurong Bird Park, of which 29 are of threatened species. In 2006, Jurong Bird Park completed a S$10 million makeover. As a result of the upgrade, the park got a new entrance plaza, a park-owned and managed "Bongo Burgers" restaurant, an ice cream parlour, a gift shop and a bird hospital. Others. Aside from birds, the park also housed some other species of animals in later years to increase the number visitors, though have stopped again to preserve the title  of being a bird-only zoo. In addition, the escapees of the now-defunct Jurong Reptile Park currently reside in the park as well. Awards. Awarded to Jurong Bird Park: Transportation. Jurong Bird Park is not currently served directly by any MRT line, with the nearest station being Boon Lay MRT station. There is a bus service operated by SBS Transit which calls at the bus stop outside the park.