Thea Classic Award: Night Safari

Thea Classic

Honoring a noteworthy visitor attraction that has stood the test of time

When it first opened in 1994, Night Safari was unique as the world’s first nocturnal wildlife park, and it has since influenced the creation of nocturnal zoos in other parts of the world. Night Safari features more than 900 animals, representing over 100 species. Visitors board a rubber-tire tram to see nocturnal wildlife function in the after-dark hours when their behavior is substantially different than in daytime. The 30-minute tram ride travels through 35 hectares and six distinct habitats. Walking trails connect with the Safari ride, allowing guests to explore specific environments on foot.

The design presents the illusion that there are no barriers between guests and wildlife. In addition to the tram tour, there are multimedia night walks, experiential dining and Rainforest Lumina. The park also focuses on breeding of threatened species including tigers, elephants, lions, and others. Night Safari, operated by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, is today ranked among the top-visited tourist attractions in Singapore, with more than 1 million annual visits. Night Safari was a breakthrough approach, offering guests something completely distinct from the traditional daytime zoo experience and a deeper understanding of the habitats and activities of nocturnal wildlife.

PIONEER TEAM Mr S Dhanabalan, then Minister of National Development Singapore, current Chairman, Mandai Park Holdings Late Dr Ong Swee Law, then Executive Chairman, Singapore Zoological Gardens, Executive -in- Charge of Night Safari development project. Mr Bernard Harrison, then Executive Director, Singapore Zoological Gardens Late Mr Lyn de Alwis, then Director of National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka, then Director of Department of Wildlife of Sri Lanka Late Mr Edwin Chan & Ms May Chan, CIAP Architects and Planners Mr Tay Kheng Soon, Architect Consultant Mr Simon Corder, Lighting Consultant, Lighting Set and Production Design Late Mr Y. Kitayama, Landscape Consultant Late Mr Wong Yew Kwan, Botanical Consultant Mr David Hancock, Planning and Design Guidelines Steen Consultants and Development Resources Mr Mike Graetz, then architect, Singapore Zoological Gardens Late Mr Kong Kit Soon, Project Manager of Night Safari Late Mr Loke Fook Seng, Water treatment Late Mr Wong Joon Tong, Head of Maintenance, Singapore Zoological Gardens Late Mr Herbert Wee, then Horticulturist, Night Safari Mr Vasantha Nugegoda, then Zoologist, Night Safari Mr Subash Chandran, then Curator, Zoology, Night Safari Mrs See Juat Chin, then Assistant Director, Finance and Administration, Singapore Zoological Gardens Ms Santie Gunasekara, then PR Executive, Singapore Zoological Gardens Ms Jacqueline Lim, then Marketing Executive, Singapore Zoological Gardens Dr Paolo Martelli, then Veterinarian, Singapore Zoological Gardens CONSULTANTS FOR NIGHT SAFARI ENHANCEMENTS Mr Chan Soon Heng, Sales and Project Manager, Fuji Signcrafts Industries Pte Ltd Design Metabolists Chartered Architects Mr Tay Kheng Soon, Akitek Tenggara Mr Seah Chee Kien Managing Director, RSP Architects Planners & Engineers Pte Ltd Mr Lee Boon Cheang, Quantity Surveyor, PQS Consultants Pte Ltd Ms Hazel Leong and team, Signage Consultant, Acacia Design Consultants Pte Ltd,

CURRENT STAFF Mr Mike Barclay, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mandai Wildlife Group Dr Cheng Wen Haur, Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Operations / Chief Life Sciences Officer, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Kumar Pillai, Vice President, Special Projects and Development, Mandai Wildlife Group Animal Care Dr Luis Carlos Neves, Vice President, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Saravanan Elangkovan, Deputy Vice President, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Desmond Ling, Assistant Vice President, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Wendy Chua, Curator, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Gurusamy Permalo, Curator, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Parmasivam Ramasamy, Curator, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Anand Kumar, Assistant Curator, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Razak Jaffar, Assistant Curator, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Cecilia Tang, Assistant Curator, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Yusoff Man, Assistant Curator, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Ivan Choo, Assistant Curator, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Halim Ali, Assistant Curator, Animal Care, Mandai Wildlife Group

ANIMAL PRESENTATIONS Ms Gail Laule, Vice President, Animal Presentations, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Chan Poh Shan, Assistant Vice President, Animal Presentations, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Gan Soorya, Senior Manager, Animal Presentations, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms May Lok, Vice President, Education, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Heather Pong, Senior Manager, Education, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Chris Sam, Principal Graphic Designer, Education, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Burnard Seow, Assistant Vice President, Education, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Foong Yuet Foong, Principal Graphic Designer, Education, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr David Tan, Senior Wildlife Photographer, Education, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Cham Tud Yinn, Vice President, Exhibit Design, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Choo Kok Boon, Assistant Vice President, Exhibit Design, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms June Marie Lin, Architect, Exhibit Design, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Ratnawati Bte Hussin, Senior Manager, Exhibit Design, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Leong Lai Yeow, Senior Manager, Exhibit Design, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Melvin Tan, Chief Estate and Property Officer, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr George Kyaw, Vice President, Horticulture, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms June Foo Syn Joo, Assistant Vice President, Horticulture, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Kelvin Heng, Assistant Vice President, Horticulture, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Foo Ce Wei, Lead Arborist, Horticulture, Mandai Wildlife Group

Ms Tan Shou Keng, Manager, Horticulture, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Said Bin Mohamed, Manager, Horticulture, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Donald Tan, Vice President, Facilities Management, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Tan Wei Yap, Assistant Vice President, Facilities Management, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Edward Wong, Senior Manager, Facilities Management, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Yow Wai Jiun, Senior Manager, Facilities Management, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Andrew Chai, Vice President, Technical Services, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Lawrence Chia, Assistant Vice President, Technical Services, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Mike Ng, Senior Manager, Technical Services, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Cheng Shang Xiong, Senior Manager, Technical Services, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Sherri Lim, Chief of Park Operations, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Elisha Teo, Deputy Vice President, Park Services, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Yusoff Halik, Senior Manager, Park Services, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Kelly Chia, Assistant Vice President, Park Operations, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Denny Wijedasa, Senior Manager, Park Operations, Night Safari Mr Damian Wong, Assistant Manager, Park Operations, Night Safari Mr Emmey Nepari, Assistant Manager, Park Operations, Night Safari Mr Chandran A/L V P Kunhikannan, Assistant Manager, Park Operations, Night Safari

COMMERCIAL Mr Benjamin Tan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commercial Officer, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Irene Lin, Chief Marketing Officer, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Eng Sock Peai, Assistant Vice President, Design & Creative, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Bradford Khoo, Principal Graphic Designer, Design & Creative, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Ken Tan, Principal Graphic Designer, Design & Creative, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Sandy Lee, Vice President, Parks & Attractions Marketing, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Eugene Sun, Manager, Parks & Attractions Marketing, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Wilson Lim, Assistant Director, Events & Programming, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Herman Yazid, Senior Manager, Events & Programming, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Jean Choi, Vice President, Sales and Experience Development, Mandai Wildlife Group Ms Fanny Chen, Assistant Vice President, Sales and Experience Development, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Franco Goh, Senior Manager, Sales and Experience Development, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Sean Lee, Assistant Manager, Sales and Experience Development, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Steven Tan, Vice President, Food & Beverage, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr John Tay, Assistant Vice President, Food & Beverage, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Kelvin Low, Executive Chef, Food & Beverage, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Darren Khoo, Senior Operations Manager, Food & Beverage, Mandai Wildlife Group Mr Indran Nair, Senior Operations Manager, Food & Beverage, Mandai Wildlife Group