One of the world’s rarest monkeys is making its debut in Singapore at a new wildlife park

SINGAPORE – Nature lovers will soon be able to see one of the world’s rarest monkeys, the Francois langur, for the first time in Singapore at the Rainforest Wild Asia, opening in March 2025.

The monkey, native to China and Vietnam, is classified as endangered on the Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a conservation organization.

According to a 2024 BBC report, only about 2,000 of these monkeys remain in the wild.

Mandai Wildlife Group said on Nov 7 that Rainforest Wild Asia will become the new home of Singapore’s François langur and the endangered Philippine spotted deer, which are among the park’s 29 species.

The group’s fifth wildlife park will also see the planting of 7,000 Southeast Asian trees and shrubs to complement existing protected areas of rainforest.

The size of the park – 13 hectares or about 20 football fields – allows tigers, sun bears, tapirs and gregarious langurs to roam through habitats such as rainforests and caves.

Mandai Wildlife Group CEO Mr Mike Barclay said the ten different zones in the park will offer visitors different levels of adventure as they explore the immersive rainforest environment.

They can stroll along wheelchair-friendly walkways, explore forest trails closer to the ground or head higher near the canopy, where they can climb, jump and rappel in safety harnesses.

“This immersive design gives our guests the opportunity to see how different animals thrive in different rainforest environments. Most importantly, we hope to create a strong sense of connection with nature and a renewed determination to cherish and protect our planet,” he added.