Captive Breeding Programme

Over the years, the Zoo also contributes to global conservation efforts via its captive breeding program of endangered animals. In the last 40 years, the Singapore Zoo achieved many breakthrough in its breeding programmes. In 2012, the Zoo bred more than 140 animals and many of them are endangered or threatened in the wild. Some of the milestone births are stated below.

  • 20 January 1975: first baby orang utan was born! It was a rare event for orang utans in captivity at that time
  • 15 November 1990: first Komodo Dragon, an endangered reptile, was successfully hatched in the zoo. This was after numerous unsuccessful attempts. This hatchling was the first in Asia outside of the reptile’s natural habitat which is in Indonesia
  • 26 December 1990: first polar bear cub to be born in a tropical country took place in the Singapore Zoo