So after intense studying at home for about a week during the June holidays, we all developed hay fever and my husband and I decided to bring the kids to the newly opened Bird Paradise at Mandai, next to the zoo and River Safari (not that anyone can visit all three or even two attractions in one day, but I suppose this makes for some economies of scale in things like waste treatment or something). My whole family looked forward to this visit primarily my eldest boy is bird-crazy and hence we have been taking care of two sun conure parrots for the past year. They have brought us us endless joy, and also ringing eardrum, scratched up arms and nibbled and half destroyed electronic equipment (their favourite is the red navigation button in the middle of the keyboard and chewing on the top of the laptop). So when I read about the cockatoos tearing up signages and biting girl’s ear, I just chuckle and know it’s natural bird behaviour.
So we woke up bright and early (even my youngest who cheerfully told the helper to keep her uniform because she wasn’t going to school today) and to my surprise, my husband also got quite involved in getting the kids showered and making them breakfast (as he is usually very edgy about us being on time whenever we meet his parents).
Then we drove to Mandai, while listening to Evanescence (wake me up) cos my husband felt like he needed that and then the Wonder Woman 1984 soundtrack, which is epic and Olympic-sounding and also sounded strangely like the atmospheric music of a theme park when he turned into the carpark. The theme song ended just as he parked, which made us all laugh.
We had a good time walking up to the entrance where they put some features along the way like a gigantic bird nest with eggs, and some orchid display. Then we reached and I was reading this big display showcasing the history of Jurong Bird Park turning into Bird Paradise when I was shooed to enter the attraction cos my in laws and sister in law were already inside. This was a sign of the things to come during the entire day. They would walk through the exhibits quite fast and then wait for me. And I was always straggling at the back cos I would read all the panels explaining birds to be found in that aviary and also interesting things about plants and trees. For example, did you know that fires in Australia are nature’s way of dispersing certain seeds? And that they also hollow out some trees for birds to nest in. And that the the albatross has a way of soaring called dynamic soaring where they do not flap their wings for long distances, and which scientists are still studying. So interesting!
The first exhibit we went into was the penguin cove, and it was so fun to watch the penguins waddle with their flippers outstretched, they look like they are trying to walk without getting their feet wet. And they squeeze out bubbles from their feathers when they are underwater to triple their speed, and they are shaped like torpedos, and they can shoot out of water 3m to land on land! We had great fun there.
Then we went into crimson wetlands where the flamingoes were there, but the real highlight for us was the parrots - scarlet macaws and sun conures. It was breathtaking to see the macaws flying round the high-domed aviary, to perch on some limestone walls, to the sound of rushing water at a waterfall, and sometimes they fly around a few times. I almost feel they should play movie-like music in the background. They have very majestic flying pattern and it brought a lump to my throat, that this is what they were created to do. A far cry from those solo creatures I see at HDB decks, chained to a stand, bored out of their minds, many times slightly hostile, usually owned by some pot-bellied uncle who claims to be a ‘bird lover’.
Then we spotted one sun conure in a tree who took off in flight, and he was joined by a flock of sun conures flying to another tree! We screamed in delight as I saw they had that same slight zigzag pattern in flying as my parrots, except mine zigzag even more wildly around the room when we set them free. Then we spotted 4 or more sitting on a branch, while 2 were in front. They really live in a flock. And it was a joy to hear their trademark screeches in the wild, though not as ear-piercing.
Then we went to watch a very enjoyable Predators on Wings show, where we learnt of the important role vultures play, as the ‘clean-up crew’ of the safari in Africa. Without them, we would have a big problem of carrion on our hands. We also learnt that loss of habitat and poaching/killing has reduced a lot of these predators in the wild. So sad…again, I emphasise that there is something so freeing and liberating to see a parrot free fly across an expanse.
Then we went for lunch and then went to see some other exhibits but it got way too hot, and I think all the birds went to hide. There were a lot fewer of them flying around and we kept escaping into the aircon sections to read more panels, exhibits and watch videos. What I realised is in an aviary, it is a lot harder to spot the birds, compared to when they are in cages, but it’s a lot more gratifying to spot them perching in trees and coming to feed. Later we were discussing in the car that the new Bird Paradise is more humane and better for birds but worse for visitors because we see less birds overall (unless you are a really good bird watcher). There also seem to be less birds in the Lory Loft compared to the Jurong Bird Park. I wonder what happened to a lot of them.
I think they should plant more shady trees so the walkways mimick those treetop walks (which don't feel so hot due to the shade) or have some shaded trellises along the walkways so that it is not so hot to walk within it. The birds also need the shade. Or at the least, give some umbrella hats that the visitors can take from some stand and put o themselves while they ogle the birds, then return at the end of the walkway when they exit. That would not cost too much at all in terms of capital costs and would help visitors have a better experience.
The other thing which was rather unpleasant was the railings seemed to be sending electric shocks when you touched it at certain enclosures. It got to us becoming very paranoid about wandering too close to the railings or touching one another.
I liked reading about the conservation efforts and of birds (especially parrots, songbirds) being caught in large numbers in the wild such that they became endangered. It made me angry, that the seemingly 'harmless' actions of man in cities like getting a pet could cause so much harm to nature and the ecosystem. We need more education and awareness and more humane ways to keep pets.
I also felt that the entrance ticket cost so much more than Jurong Bird Park, and it could be partially due to the air-conditioned spaces within, which are interspersed liberally within Bird Paradise and actually provide much needed respite from the scorching heat. But somehow the JBP didn't have them and we didn't feel the need for it as much as well. Perhaps it had more shade and shady trees. Maybe it's to recoup the cost of building this whole thing.
I just feel that they need utilise cleverer designs to make the enclosures a good experience for humans and birds alike, and while keeping costs low. That would necessitate using nature or learning from nature, probably. More plants and trees and water bodies, and/or biomimicry.
I am always amazed at the many functions plants and trees provide for us. I think we owe it to the plant kingdom to make the earth liveable and pleasant to a great extent.
I was also feeling quite sad at all the habitat loss around the world. I think the least I can do is to live simply, with just a few key belongings, and to eat less meat/fish. And eat more local stuff. Which all helps produce less greenhouse gas emissions, and potentially helping to keep global warming in check, which is causing penguins to need to hunt further and further away from their ice floes due to climate change and overfishing. God help us.
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