PUBLISHEDJAN 17, 2016, 5:00 AM SGT
Farm in Mandai allowed to breed them will have to return state land to SLA at end of lease
For more than two decades, a bird sanctuary located down a winding lane off Mandai Road has greeted visitors with a cacophony of whistles and chirps.
Within its 2ha compound at 31 Lorong Lada Hitam, the Mandai Birds Sanctuary boasts eight aviaries with more than 3,000 exotic birds across 124 species.
But its fate now remains uncertain. The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has asked for the state land back by May.
It has previously been reported that the idea of relocating the Jurong Bird Park to Mandai as part of a proposed rejuvenation of the Mandai precinct is being explored. However, it is unclear if the two are linked.
The sanctuary's co-founder, Mr Daniel Teo, who is also a property developer, received a final notice to vacate two months ago.
"It is very sad," said the 72-year- old. "We've thousands of birds here, some of which are endangered species too. And we've staff who've been with us since the start. What will happen to us now?"
Mr Teo and his friend, Mr Patrick Tay, pumped in millions to start the sanctuary, which they hoped would go beyond its primary purpose of commercial breeding to encourage conservation efforts of endangered species, such as the black palm cockatoo.
