The Mandai Wildlife Centre, a dedicated hospital for rescued native wildlife, officially opened on July 22. Operated by the non-profit Mandai Nature, the facility focuses on the rehabilitation and release of injured local fauna. It serves as both a clinical space and a research hub to address knowledge gaps in native wildlife medicine, including the care of the critically endangered Sunda pangolin.
Clinical Operations and Species Rehabilitation
Unlike the group’s two other veterinary hospitals that serve zoo animals, this new centre is designed for the full rehabilitation of wildlife found in Singapore. According to Dr. Charlene Yeong, head of the centre, the facility allows staff to prioritize species requiring specialized care. Recent operations have included treating injured pangolins, feeding an orphaned bat, and performing diagnostic imaging on a dehydrated changeable hawk-eagle.
The facility features a larger rehabilitation yard and specialized tools, such as a moveable surgery table, to support these efforts. To date, 62 percent of animals admitted to the centre have achieved a full recovery and were successfully released into natural habitats in collaboration with the National Parks Board. The team uses a 10m-long yard for birds and bats to rebuild their endurance before release, while ensuring animals do not become habituated to human care.
Did You Know?
The Mandai Wildlife Centre has discovered that a small amount of abdominal fluid is normal for the Sunda pangolin, a finding made through repeated ultrasound monitoring that initially surprised veterinarians who typically associate such fluid with illness in other mammals.
Data Collection and Wildlife Research
Beyond immediate medical treatment, the hospital functions as a living observatory for Singapore’s fauna. Data gathered during the rescue and rehabilitation process provides insights into population changes that are otherwise difficult to track through resource-intensive ecological field surveys. This approach has been particularly significant for the Sunda pangolin, as all reported wild individuals in Singapore are now brought to this facility.
Annual admissions for the Sunda pangolin rose from 15 in 2015 to between 30 and 40 annually from 2023 to 2025. The centre collects biological samples from these high-priority species and uses microchips to track their movements post-release. Similar tracking for reticulated pythons has revealed that the snakes are capable of traveling long distances, often returning to urban areas to hunt rodents near rubbish sites.
By focusing on evidence-based medicine and public education—such as advising that healthy snakes in drains be left alone—the centre is balancing the immediate need for animal welfare with the long-term goal of mitigating human-wildlife conflict in an urbanized environment.
Shifting Trends in Wildlife Admissions
The establishment of the new hospital coincides with a decline in the overall intake at Mandai’s previous facility, the Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre. Annual admissions there dropped from over 2,700 prior to 2015 to approximately 1,100 annually between 2022 and 2025. According to Dr. Yeong, this reduction is partly due to greater public awareness and education outreach, which has decreased the number of unnecessary transfers of healthy animals, such as pythons found at construction sites.
Looking ahead, the centre aims to serve as a regional training hub. It plans to collaborate with local institutes of higher learning and international researchers to advance applied conservation science across South-east Asia. Staff members, including junior veterinary nurse Nadhrah Hassan, continue to manage the intensive, often round-the-clock labor required to rehabilitate young animals, such as common palm civets and orphaned bats.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary goal of the Mandai Wildlife Centre?
The centre aims to provide full rehabilitation and release of rescued native wildlife back into the wild, while also gathering data on local fauna to fill knowledge gaps in wildlife medicine.
Why have annual wildlife admissions at Mandai declined since 2015?
According to Dr. Charlene Yeong, the decline is due to the opening of more wildlife centers in Singapore and increased public awareness, which has reduced the number of healthy animals—such as pythons—being unnecessarily brought in for care.
How does the centre track the success of its rehabilitation efforts?
The centre uses microchips and biological sampling to track high-priority species like the Sunda pangolin and reticulated pythons, allowing the team to monitor dispersal and survival after release.
How might the integration of regional research partnerships at the centre influence future wildlife conservation efforts in South-east Asia?
Keep reading