Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

A little history
One of the first forest reserves established in Singapore can be said to be Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. It was established in 1833 and in 1951, it received protection under the Nature Reserves Ordinance which is enacted under the National Parks Act.

About the forest
The reserve has four marked paths that are for leisure stroll. All the paths will take you different time to complete it, the shortest about 20 minutes, and the longest about 40 minutes. Along the four routes, there will be numerous small huts for visitors to rest. It would be wise of visitors to bring their own drinks and snacks as there will be no shops there. Also, visitors should also bring insect repellent if they do not want to go home covered in itches!

Organisms
The Bukit Timah and Central Catchment nature reserves are home to more than 840 flowering plants and over 500 species of animals… Look on and find out…

The forest houses a vast variety of plants and is said to be ‘exceedingly productive. Indeed, this is true. A lot of new species are still being discovered by scientists! Some of the plants there include towering trees, climbing palms (better known as rattans), ferns, orchids, gingers and strange blooms such as the Black or Bat lily.

As for animals, the most commonly encountered are the Long-tailed Macaques or monkeys and squirrels. The scaly ant-eater or pangolin is rather rare and has not been spotted for a long time. There are doubts whether any pangolins can still be found here. Other creatures that roam this small little forest include the Malayan Water Monitor Lizard and several varieties of snakes including the Reticulated Python, the Oriental Whip Snake and the Elegant Bronzeback. Other special treats are the Flying lemur (Colugo) and forest birds that include the beautiful Asian Fairy Blue Bird, the unique looking Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo, the Striped tit-babbler and the bulbuls. Among butterflies, two of the most beautiful species in Singapore can be found here. They are the Painted Jezebel and the Banded Imperial.

Facts
The only primary rainforest that remains in Singapore is the Bukit Timah Nature and its peak is Singapore's highest ground at around 164m above sea level!