Night Safari's
30th Anniversary

Mr Goh Chok Tong, the then Prime Minister of Singapore, enjoyed a night tour at the Zoo so much that he mooted the idea of having regular night tours, to be called `Singapore Safari’.

At around the same time, the Zoo team, led by Dr Ong Swee Law, founding father of Singapore Zoo and Lyn de Alwis, zoo design consultant, was exploring the concept of displaying tropical animals at night, in vast, safari-style habitats.

Many tropical animals are nocturnal; showcasing their behaviour in a jungle setting after sunset would bring people closer to wildlife.

The design of Night Safari was rooted in creating the magic and thrill of being on the wild side by night!

The concept brought to life by the use of moats as habitat barriers, a tram journey interspersed with drive-through habitats, lighting that mimics moonlight and walking trails which offer an intimate forest experience on foot.

Mr Goh Chok Tong, the then Prime Minister of Singapore opened the world’s first Night Safari.

"Tonight, I open Night Safari with a warm feeling of pride. This is the only one of its kind in the world.

The beauty of it is that such a facility should first appear in heavily urban and densely populated Singapore!

Night Safari is our latest example of what imagination and resourcefulness can achieve."

Excerpts from Mr Goh Chok Tong’s speech at the official opening of Night Safari

Night Safari became an instant hit with locals and tourists alike.

In its first year, it received 760,000 guests, 90% more than the projected 400,000!

The 13-time Best Attraction winner (by Singapore Tourism Board) continues to capture the imagination of people, welcoming and inspiring over a million guests each year.

"Having been with Night Safari for almost 30 years, I have witnessed the many changes it has gone through over the years.

The one thing that has never changed is really the pure excitement I see from families when they first step into the park.

I really enjoy interacting with people from various parts of the world and watching kids grow up with each time that they visit."

"Joining Mandai in 2020, when the nation was transitioning out of the circuit breaker, it was especially memorable for me as I found myself having to navigate the ever-evolving restriction measures, whilst also ensuring that guest experience is kept to the highest standards.

I remember launching our first ever digital trail experience in Night Safari that year, with the intention to minimize inter-persons interaction and yet still be able to elevate guest experience along the Safari Trails — this has taken off well and continues to be an important element in all of Night Safari’s campaigns since."

"Night Safari Operations has allowed me the opportunity to meet with many people from all over the world and create long-lasting bonds that I will never forget.

I was privileged enough to host celebrities and foreign dignitaries such as the late Steve Erwin as well as our late Prime Minister Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Lee Hsien Loong."

“Having been on Night Safari's Animal Care team for the past 8 years, I have been truly honoured to experience multiple elephant calf births here and watch them grow up into the majestic creatures that they are today!”

Never underestimate how much plants can enhance the environment of a particular place!

Here in Night Safari, so much effort has gone into creating a natural dense forest environment to make guests feel like they are really exploring the jungle.

Plants do not just invoke emotions but also help visitors with directional cues to ensure that they will not get lost!