Mandai Wildlife Centre: Singapore's New Rehabilitation Facility for Rescued Wildlife Opens, Boosting Conservation Efforts

• Operated by Mandai Nature, the purpose-built facility expands rehabilitation capacity for Singapore’s rescued wildlife.
• The new centre will serve as a training and knowledge-sharing hub for wildlife professionals in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
• It is the third hospital in the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, complementing Mandai Wildlife Group’s Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre (WHRC) and the Avian Healthcare and Research Centre (AHRC).

A viewing gallery at Rainforest Wild Adventure East provides visitors with a closer look at Mandai Wildlife Centre, including its surgery and treatment rooms, the intensive care ward and a food preparation area for rescued wildlife. 

Photo credit: Mandai Nature

Mandai Wildlife Centre (万态野生动物救护中心), Singapore’s new dedicated facility for the veterinary care, rehabilitation and recovery of rescued native wildlife, officially opened today.

Operated by Mandai Nature, the nonprofit conservation arm of Mandai Wildlife Group, the Centre marks a significant step in advancing wildlife conservation in urban Singapore by improving outcomes for rescued native wildlife. The Centre will also support research and knowledge-building into the veterinary care and rehabilitation of native wildlife and raise public awareness of native biodiversity.

Marina Bay Sands’ S$1.5 million commitment over three years was among the earliest and most significant investments in this work, providing the critical foundation that enabled our operations to take root. As this work gets underway, we invite additional partners and companies to join Marina Bay Sands in supporting a dedicated team of veterinary experts needed to carry it forward. Those interested in contributing to Mandai Wildlife Centre can make a donation here.

Meeting a growing need for specialised wildlife rehabilitation

For over two decades, Mandai Wildlife Group has supported the care of rescued native wildlife at its Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre (WHRC), working alongside partner organisations, such as the National Parks Board (NParks) and Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES). These animals were previously cared for at WHRC, a shared facility with the animals under its care.

Building on this legacy, Mandai Nature now leads the rehabilitation efforts in close partnership with Mandai Wildlife Group, delivering tailored treatment, including physiotherapy, to prepare animals for successful release and survival. A wide range of Singapore’s native wildlife will be cared for at the Centre, including mammals like the Sunda pangolin, Sunda colugo, common palm civet, as well as reptiles like the reticulated python, and birds such as the Sunda scops owl, white-collared kingfisher and white-bellied sea eagle. 

The Centre remains closely integrated with Mandai Wildlife Group’s veterinary healthcare team, sharing specialised equipment, nutritional support, and other expertise and resources. 

Advancing conservation science and professional capacity

In addition to providing care for native wildlife, Mandai Wildlife Centre serves as a key platform for delivering the science and research pillars of the Mandai Nature Academy, introduced earlier this year to strengthen conservation science, capacity and talent development in Southeast Asia. The Centre also supports Mandai Nature’s biobanking initiative by collecting biological samples from wildlife, contributing to valuable genetic resources for future research and conservation.

The Centre will provide hands-on learning opportunities, clinical attachments and professional training for veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers and conservation practitioners from Singapore and the region. Through structured knowledge exchange, it will facilitate the sharing of best practices in wildlife medicine, rehabilitation and wildlife management, helping to build sector-wide capacity and strengthen regional conservation networks.

In addition, the Centre will support applied conservation research to improve wildlife rehabilitation outcomes. Working with Institutes of Higher Learning and local and international wildlife researchers, the team will initiate and advance studies contributing to wildlife health, rehabilitation practices and release success.

“Successful wildlife rehabilitation relies on the right infrastructure, dedicated expertise and a strong understanding of each species’ needs from rescue all the way to release,” said Dr Sonja Luz, Chief Executive Officer of Mandai Nature. “Mandai Wildlife Centre brings these elements together in a way that enables us to improve rehabilitation outcomes, generate knowledge that benefits wildlife conservation, and strengthen the capabilities of conservation professionals across the region. By investing in both wildlife care and people, we hope to create a lasting impact for biodiversity in Singapore and beyond.”

Ms Meridith Beaujean, Assistant Vice President of Sustainability and ESG, Marina Bay Sands, said: “We are delighted to support like‑minded partners such as Mandai Nature in protecting Singapore’s native biodiversity. This partnership marks our most significant investment in local biodiversity to date, reinforcing our commitment to the communities in which we operate and improving outcomes for native species. Through this partnership, we look forward to extending conservation awareness and nature‑based education to guests, reinforcing the importance of planetary resilience for generations to come.”