75 per cent of Jurong Bird Park's 3,500 birds have moved to Mandai

About three-quarters of Jurong Bird Park's 3,500 birds have been moved to Bird Paradise in Mandai.

- Ng Keng Gene

The remaining birds will be relocated ahead of the new park's May 8 opening, Mandai Wildlife Group said on Tuesday.

Speaking to The Straits Times on March 22, Dr Luis Neves, vice-president of animal care at Mandai Wildlife Group, said that birds were being moved from Jan 4 - the day after Jurong Bird Park bade farewell to its last visitors.

He said the order of relocation was largely decided based on two factors the readiness of new aviaries in Mandai, and the areas that should be freed first in Jurong so - that some birds in larger walkthrough aviaries could be placed in these spaces for keepers to secure them more easily for their move.

For instance, two black crowned cranes that were in Jurong's Waterfall Aviary were taken to a holding enclosure, from which keepers retrieved them when the birds were moved in February.