Zoo animals here going places

Every year, dozens of animals are packed off to overseas wildlife parks to help with breeding and educational programmes

By Krist Boo

IF YOU are visiting Perth Zoo in Australia, do not be surprised if you find that an orang utan there looks familiar and has some resemblance to Ah Meng of the Singapore Zoo.

That is because the orang utan in Perth, Hsing Hsing, is indeed a 'Singapore export' and a son of Ah Meng.

Like hundreds of other animals sent overseas, Hsing Hsing was packed off to Perth when he was eight, under an exchange programme practised by Singapore's three wildlife parks - the Zoo, Night Safari and the BirdPark.

Each year, the Zoo, Night Safari and BirdPark air-freight dozens of their charges to parks worldwide to help with breeding or educational programmes.

And, due to the comprehensive breeding programmes here, Singapore has been able to export many exotic animals overseas every year, ranging from mountain goats, tigers and civet cats, to Nicobar pigeons.

These animals and birds are now on exhibit in zoos in various cities around the world, from New York to Yokohoma.

In exchange, exotic species such as the white rhinos from South Africa, white tigers from Indonesia and snowy owls from Canada have made their way here.

Mr Bernard Harrison, chief executive of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), said the exchange of animals helps stamp out animal trading, which usually involves animals being taken from the wild.

He said: 'We don't ask for money, all we ask for is that they be given a good home.'

Over the years, as the parks' respective breeding programmes developed, the average number of animals exported have gradually soared in proportion to the number imported. And the trend is likely to continue, said WRS.

But when such occasions happen, the keepers often pack the containers with a heavy heart, as they have often grown to be fond of the baby animals.

For example, zookeeper C. Alagappasamy remembered putting Hsing Hsing into a special container in 1983 when he was eight, a tender age for an orang utan.

He said: 'Tears did well up. We didn't wait until he was mature before we sent him, we had to send him while he was of a manageable size. When we closed the cage, he was crying.'

Ah Meng too, he said, ate little and stayed alone in a corner for a few days after her baby was taken away.

'But I think the management made a right decision,' Mr Alagappasamy said. 'Hsing Hsing was related to Ah Meng, and it was going to be hard for him to find a suitable mate. He needed his own family.'

Hsing Hsing, now the only male in the Perth Zoo's colony of 10 Sumatran orang utans, had since become the proud father of three baby orang utans.

When two Australian tourists visited last year, they brought with them a recent photograph of him, which they gave to Mr Alagappasamy.

Holding a picture of Hsing Hsing, a beaming Mr Alagappasamy said:' He has grown. He has a golden beard, and big cheekpads.'