Night Safari’s Senior Keeper Gao Hui feeds an apple to Newari as the gentle rhino, who uses his prehensile lips like a hook to bring in the treat. Photos: Mandai Wildlife Group
For the first time in Singapore, visitors will be able to get up close and meet the elusive, prehistoric-looking Indian rhinoceros at Night Safari.
The new feeding programme which opened for online public booking on February 17, 2022, features Newari, one of the two Indian rhinos that arrived on our sunny shores in April last year.
To get Newari ready for his debut at the exhibit’s feeding platform, Night Safari’s animal care team has been working with the rino for over six months. Of the two brothers, Newari is the bigger foodie and more comfortable around people, especially when it involves his favourite treat – carrots!
Newari munches on some elephant grass, which makes up the bulk of his diet, at Night Safari’s Indian rhino habitat.
Aside from the exciting chance to feed an Indian rhino, guests will also get to interact with the animal care team. Hear from Newari’s caretakers and learn more about this intriguing species through anecdotes and fun facts they have to share.
Unlike their African cousins, the Indian rhinos have one horn and thick, armour-like skin. During the feeding sessions, you can observe how the folds of their skin shift when they move. These gentle giants are vegetarians and love grazing on tall grasses, leaves and fruits.
As tough as they may look, Indian rhinos are faced with threats of habitat loss and poaching in the wild. While they once used to be found across most of Asia, wild populations are now only largely observed in India and Nepal.
Newari is a 5-year-old Indian rhino that hails from Al Bustan Zoological Centre in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Along with his 8-year-old brother, Thulie, they made their debut at Night Safari’s new Indian rhino exhibit in April last year and have settled in well.
Indian rhinos are listed as vulnerable under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with an estimated population of about 3,700 mature individuals left in the wild in India and Nepal.
Through meaningful interactions such as feeding, Night Safari hopes guests will come away with a sense of appreciation for the rhino species and be inspired to care for our planet and support conservation efforts which help protect nature and wildlife like these majestic animals.
Guests can visit the Indian rhino habitat next to Night Safari’s East Lodge at 7.30pm on operating nights to participate in the feeding for a contribution of $10.
All contributions from feeding sessions come with Conservation Included and will go into supporting conservation projects in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Feeding sessions must be booked online. With limited slots available, book in advance and secure slots at https://bit.ly/NightSafari_
The new feeding experience is also available to guests who sign up for Night Safari’s exclusive behind-the-scenes tour programme, Safari Adventure Tour, at https://www.mandai.com/en/
