Looks like the plans to make Singapore’s River Safari one of the most epic tourist attractions in the country is coming along just fine. In September last year, they welcomed two giant pandas from China. Yesterday, they welcomed new friends to what is said to be the world’s largest freshwater aquarium. Seven new friends, to be exact!
What are they? Seven very large manatees!
Manatees are mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as “sea cows”, due to their size and the fact that they usually spend most of their time grazing in shallow waters. They’re so large, it took two whole days for the team of 20 zookeepers and veterinarians to move the aquatic mammals to their new home.
Their new home at the River Safari is four time bigger than their previous exhibit at Singapore Zoo. The seven manatees are now part of Singapore’s River Safari’s Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit, which showcases the annual flooding of the Amazon rainforest where fish and the other creatures swim among the trees.
Through captive breeding, River Safari hopes to contribute to the population of endangered freshwater species such as the manatee. The River Safari, which sits between Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari, will open in the first quarter of 2013.
(Source)
