
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
is home to the remaining and only substantial area of
primary rainforest left in Singapore. The 164 ha reserve
is mere 12 km from the bustling city that includes Singapore’s
highest hill at 163.63 metres.
By virtue of its location on the equatorial
belt, Bukit Timah has one of the richest
and most diverse ecological systems in the world. Visitors
will see an astonishing variety of plant, animal and
insect life, typical of a humid equatorial climate.
The forest in Bukit Timah
has never been extensively cleared for cultivation and
is considered primary because there has been no bleak
in forest cover in most areas. The forest is typical
of lowland evergreen forest, characterized by the presence
of Seraya tree (Shorea curtisii) and Shorea macroptera.
These are normally found on ridgea above 250 metres
in the Main Range of Malay Peninsula, but occur at 20
metres in coastal forest.
The dominant tree family is the Dipterocarpaceae
of the hardwood timber such as Shorea, Dipterocarpus,
Vatica and Hopea. They can reach up to 80 metres in
height and are supported by shallow root systems.
Bukit Timah is long
bird list and collection of wild mammal. The Long-tailed
Macaques gather in groups, foliage the treetops or welcoming
visitors in front the Visitors’ Centre. Plaintive
and Slender Squirrel are plentiful, while keen observers
may spot the flying lemurs.
Birds are often heard than seen. The
most conspicuous is the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo,
the noisy forest dweller. Other interesting birds include
the Asia Fairy-bluebird, Banded Woodpecker, Blue-winged
Leafbird, Chestnut billed Malkoha and the Hill Myna.
The Hooded Pitta and Orange-headed Thrush are rare winter
migratory birds that arrive in Bukit Timah
the month of December. The fruiting figs tree at the
summit attract hundreds of fruit-eating birds such as
green-pigeons, bulbuls, flowerpeckers, barbets, fairy-bluebirds
gathering for a grand fiesta. The Majestic White-bellied
Fish Eagle is often seen soaring in the sky above the
summit.
Dr David Bellamy,
an eminent conservationist, pointed out that the number
of tree species growing in a mere hectare of the Reserve
is more than the total number of tree species in all
of North America.
The exploration of Bukit Timah
Nature Reserve can begin with an orientation
visit at the Visitors’ Centre at the foothill.
Our nature guides can also lead you by the Dairy Farm
way, or alternate routes up the hill summit. Our company
is managing the MOE Dairy Farm Adventure Centre
that serves as an ideal base station for the Bukit
Timah Eco Explorartion.
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