Singapore Zoo to celebrate 40th anniversary with special programmes; Lee Kuan Yew: “The Singapore Zoo makes Singapore a better place for children and their parents.”

Singapore Zoo to celebrate 40th anniversary with special programmes

Among the activities include a search for people born on June 27, 1973 to join the Zoo’s birthday party, as well as 40 per cent discounts off admission prices for visitors who turn 40 in 2013. -AsiaOne

Tue, Mar 05, 2013
AsiaOne

SINGAPORE – The Singapore Zoo is rolling out celebratory activities from now until the end of the year to commemorate its 40th anniversary.Among the activities include a search for people born on June 27, 1973 to join the Zoo’s birthday party, as well as 40 per cent discounts off admission prices for visitors who turn 40 in 2013.

Read the full statement below:

Singapore Zoo, which ranks among the world’s best zoos, reaches another significant milestone this year as it turns 40; and the wildlife institution’s own growth and success story mirror closely that of the nation that bore it.

“As a young zoo in an equally young nation, turning 40 is monumental, and a time for us to both reflect and look ahead. We have learnt much along the way, and grown with our visitors who have come to appreciate and recognise our efforts in conservation, education, and recreation,” said Ms Claire Chiang, Chairman, Wildlife Reserves Singapore. “We hope, in our way of striving to provide exciting and meaningful experiences, we have managed to inspire in our visitors an appreciation of nature and wildlife.”

Built in the budding years of Singapore’s independence, Singapore Zoo was the brainchild of a very young team lead by Dr Ong Swee Law. Although armed with little knowledge of zoos, their unreserved gusto and foresight propelled them ahead and Singapore Zoo has been a hit since its opening in 1973, with its pioneering open concept and its ‘people-friendliness’.

Over the years, Singapore Zoo became a major recreational and educational centre that grew up alongside the nation and her people, and the millions of tourists that arrive on the island. The zoo is an evergreen destination which many visitors discover as children with their parents or during school excursions. As years pass, they re-visit as parents when their own little ones are growing up, and eventually they return as grandparents with their grandchildren.

In 1994, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, then Senior Minister of Singapore, said, “The Singapore Zoo makes Singapore a better place for children and their parents.”

Echoing that sentiment even today, Ms Chiang continued, “Generations of Singaporeans have walked the paths of Singapore Zoo since we opened in 1973, supporting us and loving our family members like Ah Meng, Inuka, and Omar as their own. Many visited first as schoolchildren, then as adults with their own families. We are honoured to be a part of Singapore life, and we do hope that our visitors will continue the tradition of introducing their children, and even grandchildren, to the wonders of wildlife.”

To commemorate the momentous 40th year, Singapore Zoo will be rolling out celebratory activities from now till the end of the year. Among the most exciting is the search for people born on 27 June 1973 to join the Singapore Zoo Birthday Bash, 40 per cent discounts off admission prices for people turning 40 in 2013, and more.

Details of some of the upcoming activities:

1. The Wild Search for a 40th Birthday Buddy!: As part of the 40th birthday celebrations, Singapore Zoo is on the lookout for people who share her birthday on 27 June 1973.

People born on that date are invited to email corpcomms.szg@wrs.com.sg and Singapore Zoo will invite them for a very special Singapore Zoo Birthday Bash, and take them on an exclusive tour with a zoo pioneer.

2. Turning 40 in 2013: From Mar 1 until December 31, anyone who turns 40 this year can enjoy 40 per cent off admission ticket prices for themselves and four other friends when they visit during their birthday month.

3. 40th Birthday Bash Zoo Hunt: Over the March 16-17 school holiday weekend, the young (and young at heart) can take part in the 40th Birthday Bash Zoo Hunt. Participants get the chance to complete a trail that takes them through some of the Zoo’s most notable sites.

Singapore Zoo is one of four wildlife attractions managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, with the others being Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and the upcoming River Safari. The Zoo is also a designated rescued wildlife centre by the governing authority.

For more information and the latest updates on Singapore Zoo’s 40th anniversary celebrations, visit www.zoo.com.sg, or Singapore Zoo’s Facebook page.