Squawk with the birds at bedtime

Visitors can add night bird-watching to list of activities at Jurong BirdPark when it extends its opening hours

By Krist Boo

NIGHT bird-watching will be an added attraction of the Jurong BirdPark next year.

The park is planning to set up night lights to make this possible, and starting around July next year, it will close at 10 pm instead of 6 pm as it does now.

'It'll be a promenade-style of lighting. The experience will be like taking a walk at night,' the park's executive director, Dr Wong Hon Mun, told The Straits Times.

International lighting designer Louis Clair is the man who will help visitors to the park admire the birds in their full pyjama-time glory.

Mr Clair, who designed this year's Orchard Road Christmas light-up, is working out a plan with the park, said Dr Wong.

The bedtime extension is part of a plan to encourage more Singaporeans and children to come to the park, which will turn 30 on Jan 3.

It launched a four-month celebration yesterday with a new breakfast show featuring uncommon birds such as the pelican, kookaburra and mandarin duck.

Also in the works is a new non-stop show schedule and a petting area with birds, where young visitors can pet and feed tamed fowls such as chicks and budgies.

For the first time, it will also hold a Christmas carnival of street acts on the first three weekends of December.

It is also planning a $1-million media campaign, said the chief executive officer of the BirdPark's parent company, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, and the Zoo, Mr Bernard Harrison.

He said: 'If I go up to a Singaporean and ask how he sees the BirdPark, he will say, 'It's one of the best in the world, but I haven't been there for a long time. It's too high-brow'.'

The BirdPark hopes to double its local visitorship from three in 10 last year to six in 10 eventually. It hosted 900,000 visitors last year.

It also hopes to reap more than last year's $10 million from its food and beverage business.

'We've revamped the menu. We're going for the local business,' Mr Harrison added.

'One of the kiosks will be remodelled to serve wholesome Muslim food, and the Lodge will serve buffets. You can expect food charges to be lower.'