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Central Catchment Nature Reserve |
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The Central Catchment Nature Reserve is Singapore's biggest nature reserve, contributing to a large patch of greenery in the heart of the city. The Central Catchment Nature Reserve is home to the Night Safari and the Singapore Zoo, the two famous recreational centers in Singapore. The Central Catchment Nature Reserve acts as a catchment area for all the four reservoirs built within its premises.Tree-top Walk and the Jeluting Tower are the two new recreational facilities that have come up in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve to provide further entertainment to the public. |
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History of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve
Though the Central Catchment Nature Reserve is a vast stretch of primary forest land, its major portion is constituted of secondary forest lands exploited for cultivation and timbering activities. The reserve now has only 1 sq. km of virgin forest land left. The construction of the Mac Ritchie reservoir, the first reservoir of Singapore in the southern boundary of the reserve helped to preserve the forest lands.The Central Catchment Nature Reserve is spread over a total land of 2000 hectares and includes the forests Pierce, Upper Pierce, Seletar and Mac Ritchie Reservoirs. Visitors can get to the Upper Pierce forest through the Old Upper Thomson Road.
Attractions at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve
The Central Catchment Nature Reserve has around 100 acres of primary forest land around the Mac Ritchie reservoir. Remnants of the 19th century rubber plantations
can be found in the areas bordering the Mac Ritchie reservoir.
There are walkways leading to the forest and boardwalks bordering the Mac Ritchie Reservoir, ranging from 3-11 km in distance providing the nature-lovers a scope to experience a part or the whole of the reserve. Visitors can tour the Mac Ritchie forest all by themselves following the signboards that also helps in unveiling the nature's mysteries.
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Flora at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve
Visitors can take a walk down the forest path densely covered in tropical foliage and explore diverse variety of plant, insect and animal species. Dipterocarpaceae which is
the main tree-family in the reserve yields majority of the tropical hardwood-timber used for commercial purposes.
Fauna at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve
The Central Catchment Nature Reserve houses over 500 different animal species including different varieties of butterflies. Visitors may catch a glimpse of the Flying Lemur, Common Treeshrew, and if lucky enough can even spot the Ant-eater or the nocturnal Pangolin. The other residents of the reserve include the long-tailed Macaque,
Sun Skink, the slightly poisonous oriental whip Snake and wild birds like Crimson Sunbird, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and kingfishers.
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