Project Details

Organisation:	Singapore Zoological Gardens
Mentor:	Ms Agnes (Zoo), Mrs Lena Lim (TJCl)
Members:	Nadhirah Alwi, Shirleen Low
Project Title:

A. Brief Description of Project
We were not assigned a specific project to work on. Instead, we were given mutiple tasks to complete within the four weeks of our attachment. For the first two weeks, we were attached to the Fragile Forest. During that period of time we had to complete 3 main tasks:

1. Research on frogs & creating a frog manual
How it will benefit the zoo: In addition to senior keepers tutoring them, new keepers will be able to refer to the manuals for further details on frog husbandry.

2. Tabulate the injuries, births and deaths of Lesser Mousedeer.
How it will benefit the zoo: Little is known about the Lesser Mousedeer. By analysing the data collected, certain patterns can be spotted. For instance an increase in wounded males during March indicates that there is a high probability that it is the breeding season.

3.ID the Giant Sri Lankan Squirrels

For the next two weeks, we were attached to the enrichment department. We had one main (and rather heavy) task to complete:

1. Create enrichment devices for some of the animals in the Zoo-diac trail as part of the Chinese New Year Celebration (eg, fire crackers filled with meat for the tigers,hong baos filled with sunflower seeds for the orang utans)


B. Results
Without a doubt, some of those tasks were horribly tedious-- such as looking through 60 booklets to tabulate mousedeer data, making 20 giant hongbaos for orang utans from scratch and cutting (what felt like) an infinite number of the character fu out of gold paper.

Nonetheless, we managed to complete all the tasks successfully! It may not seem much to an outsider, but, perhaps due to the tedium of the work, we definitely felt a great sense of accomplishment in doing so.

The tasks in detail

1. Frog research & frog manual
To help us with our research and manual, the keepers of the Fragile Forest put us in charge of taking care of the frogs and tadpoles. By actually carrying out the necessary tasks first-hand (like cleaning the tanks, preparing water), we managed to produce a more accurate manual.

2. Tabulating Lesser Mousedeer data
Besides putting our Microsoft Excel skills to good use, we also became Fragile Forest historians:). After reading through the 60 booklets, we became quite familiar with the history of the Fragile Forest -- its previous senior keepers, doctors and significant animals. This information proved to be useful. Halfway through, we noticed certain patterns and speculations that we had and took note of them. Eventually, it made analysing and interpreting the data easier and more successful.

3. ID the Giant Sri Lankan Squirrels
This task was not as simple as it appeared to be. Though we were allowed into the enclosure, we were warned not to get too close to the squirrels due to their aggressive behaviour. Nevertheless, after many tries, we managed to get some good clear shots of the 4 squirrels. By then, we were also able to recognize them by their respective traits (eg, the squirrel with a darker shade of brown is the father)

4. Creating enrichment devices for the animals
This proved to be the most challenging project of all. It was literally a case of "so much to do, too little time". Making the devices was one task, looking for materials was another. We had to scout for non-toxic, digestible, child-proof materials including paper, glue and spray paint.
Altogether we made about 10 giant fire crackers, 25-30 giant hong baos and one device in the shape of a fortune coin -- all successfully trialed.



C. Reflection

Three content knowledge/skills that we have learnt

1. We have come to realize that handling the animals is not a simple task at all. Many things have to be taken into consideration such as diets, environment and enrichment activities. Zookeeping is not merely feeding and cleaning up after animals -- it's so much more. Previously, we viewed the zoo from a visitor's perspective; but this attachment has taught us how to view things from different angles.
2. How to plan animal enrichment activities - it definitely is easier said than done. Animal enrichment activities cannot just have to do with food, but can also be sensory - for example, providing toys for animals to play with or sniff to make their lives less boring.
3. How the zoo management works - for example, learning about the Enrichment Officer's job in the Zoo and what exactly goes on to make the Zoo work like a well-oiled machine.


Two interesting aspects about our learning

1. We would both agree that it was definitely exciting to get a first-hand look and feel of what went behind the scenes of Singapore’s official national zoological gardens. Not only did we get to see how the zoo actually functions, we got to interact with some of the animals as well!
2. Working with insects and frogs - we both had to learn how to handle these creatures and at the same time, learn why they are worked with in that manner.

One take-away for life

1. Working with the creatures - both people and the animals kept there - at the Singapore Zoological Gardens. It was a very rewarding experience that I'm sure neither of us will forget. It was tiring and sometimes tedious, but the end results made the hard work worth it.

Gallery


The above picture is a collage of us preparing the meat/grass to be inserted into the enrichment devices (the fire crackers and giant hong baos) :D This was a trial to see how the tigers responded to the devices!


More pictures of us at work:D