Parks under Wildlife Reserves Singapore — the Singapore Zoo, River Safari and Jurong Bird Park — are welcoming guests once more in Phase 2 (Night Safari will reopen Jul 30). Great news if you’re planning a (safe-distanced) day out with the clan (no more than five per group, please). Animal shows and some feedings are back on, albeit with limited slots for crowd control purposes. But if you’re looking to get even closer to the animals or mingle with the keepers to learn more about the animals, that’s not going to happen just yet. WRS tells 8Days.sg that the popular Keepers’ Chit Chat are still suspended due to safe distancing measures.

That’s why WRS has launched ‘Hello From The Wild Side’, a series of virtual up-close-and-personal sessions with the animals that you can take part in from the comfort of your home. No, they’re not just videos of penguins roaming around the zoo during the circuit breaker. These range from $50 for a personalised video message from a capybara to $250 for a half-hour private session with elephants and their keeper. Admittedly, these may cost more than an admission ticket (entry to the zoo starts at $31.20 for local residents), but you get a more personalised session, get to interact more with the keepers and see the animals up close, even if it's through a screen. The fee includes a contribution that will go towards supporting efforts by WRS to care for and protect wildlife and habitats in Southeast Asia.

Why wish your friend happy birthday yourself when you can get a penguin or cockatoo to do it? Personalised video messages featuring selected animal personalities are available for booking at $50 per video. Take your pick from the furry and feathered motley crew on standby for these greetings — penguins, a capybara, hornbill, or a palm cockatoo. There’s even a Yellow Naped Amazon singing parrot (above) who can belt out a birthday song for you, but that comes with a premium price tag of $80.

Sit in during animal feeding time and even their enrichment activities as the animal keepers take you through the sesh and share more about the critters. Yes, you can hang out with African penguins, a capybara, a great white pelican and more if you’ve got 20 minutes and $100 to spare. The exception is a session with an Oriental Pied Hornbill and a White Cockatoo that’s 10 minutes long and costs $50. Groups are kept small — only a maximum of three (human) participants each time.

Elephant shows and feeding sessions are currently suspended at the zoo, but here’s a way to get up close with them anyway. This half-hour virtual hang with the gentle giants, available from Jul 26, will set you back by $250. You (and up to five friends) get a private behind-the-scenes look with the elephants and a keeper who will take you into the elephant enclosure to show you the process of preparing their feed, their mealtime, and even their enrichment activities. In this interactive sesh, the keeper will also share more about the elephants and answer whatever questions you may have.

​​​​​​​More info at https://www.wrs.com.sg/en/hello-from-the-wild-side.html.
Photos: Wildlife Reserves Singapore