Taking flight: Mandai's Bird Paradise to soft launch on May 8

SINGAPORE — Bird Paradise in Mandai Wildlife Reserve will welcome its first guests on May 8 during its soft opening that will last until May 26.

During this period, single-park admission will cost $38 for adults and $23 for children aged 3 to 12, while seniors 60 and above will pay $20, Mandai Wildlife Group said on Thursday (March 30).

Visits from May 27 will cost the full price of $48 for adults, $33 for children and $20 for seniors.

Bird Paradise will have eight walk-through aviaries, and feature two new bird programmes — Predators on Wings and Wings of the World — which will be presented at the park's Sky Amphitheatre.

Mandai said that visitors can see the world's largest population of hornbills under human care, with many of them flying free in the walk-through aviaries, which have been designed to mimic habitats from around the globe.

There will also be opportunities for guests to go behind the scenes with keeper-led programmes. These include exclusive access to the park's Avian Healthcare and Research Centre, where they can watch vets in action.

At the Avian Breeding and Research Centre, visitors will also learn more about conservation breeding programmes, including those for Asian songbirds and threatened parrot species.

The opening of the 17ha new park follows the closure of Jurong Bird Park on Jan 3.

A highlight at Jurong Bird Park — feeding sessions — will feature in Bird Paradise at $8 per session, with new varieties of birds, said Mandai.

These include feeding sessions with the starlings, African hornbills and barbets at Heart of Africa, pelicans at Kuok Group Wings of Asia, and the lories at Lory Loft.

Proceeds from these sessions will go towards Mandai Wildlife Group's conservation efforts.

Meanwhile, Mandai said that a free-to-visit guest area comprising children's play areas and dining options, called Mandai Wildlife West, will also open from May.

Food and beverage options at the node include Luke's Lobster, Leckerbaer and Mr Holmes Bakehouse — housed in a "flagship multi-concept store", while ice cream parlour Bird of Paradise will have a gelato boutique and sandwich bar.

Fast food chain A&W, western restaurant Collin's, as well as Han's, Pavilion Banana Leaf, Old Chang Kee, Starbucks, and Cheers are among the other options.

Mandai Wildlife Group's group chief executive Mike Barclay said: "Our animal care team and veterinarians have been carrying out the mammoth task of moving more than 3,000 birds from Jurong to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve.

"This 'great migration' was a first-time experience for both our birds and employees, and I am glad to share that they are all settling in well at their new home."

Members of the public can pre-book their admission tickets and any add-on programmes from April 24 at www.mandai.com.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.