Nature sanctuary in the heart of the city

 

For bird watchers and nature lovers, the Kingfisher Wetlands never disappoints. The latest attraction at the Gardens, this new freshwater sanctuary opens your eyes to a flourishing diversity of exotic flora and fauna.

Rarely do you get wetlands like this in the city centre, so seize this opportunity to get up close with Nature. After a fulfilling meal at Satay by the Bay, take an easy stroll to the Wetlands near by. Savour all that nature has to offer, and discover the secrets to biodiversity—thriving right in the heart of our urban world.

Opening Hours

Daily: 5.00am – 2.00am

Admission Rates

Free admission

Watch speech by Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development, and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration, at the opening of Kingfisher Wetlands.

For bird watchers and nature lovers, the Kingfisher Wetlands never disappoints. The latest attraction at the Gardens, this new freshwater sanctuary opens your eyes to a flourishing diversity of exotic flora and fauna.


Explore

the Wetlands

With a recent makeover sponsored by Kikkoman, the Kingfisher Wetlands is now more than ever the perfect haven. Newly-created water cascades and streamlets create microhabitats for biodiversity to flourish.

And over 200 native true mangrove trees and mangrove associates have been planted, contributing to sustainability by storing “blue” carbon.

Ready for more discoveries? Get on the new Wildlife Lookout deck to spot birds, reptiles and other animals bustling all around. Make it a learning adventure for your children too—Kingfisher Wetlands is filled with educational signages that satisfy their curious minds about the birds and animals that frequent the Wetlands.

For a more interactive experience, join our Nature and Sustainability Tours (Urban Wetlands) happening every weekend where guides bring you on a free walking tour to discover the native biodiversity found here and learn about the role of such urban wetlands in face of climate change!

Size of Kingfisher Wetlands

15,000 sq m

(slightly bigger than the size of two football pitches!)

Number of Zones

3

Habitats for biodiversity

More than 200 mangrove trees and related plants
Gardens by the bay

Zone 1: Natural Rock Pool & Main Cascades

Gardens by the bay

Zone 2A & 2B: Kingfisher Cascades (Meandering cascades linking Kingfisher Lake & Lotus Pond)

Gardens by the bay

Zone 3: Wildlife Lookout

Kingfisher Wetlands Trail

Phalaenopsis Miki Golden Sand f. peloric

Mangroves

Mangroves are incredibly hardy trees. Mangroves are defined by their common ability to grow submerged in brackish water (water saltier than freshwater, but not as much saltwater). Found on coastlines, they offer critical shelters for hundreds of marine lives. Most amazingly, mangroves are known to be able to sequester four times more carbon than rainforests!

Visiting the mangroves? Try spotting these local mangrove heroes among the varied species.

Kingfishers of the Lake and other wildlife

16 out of 40 migratory bird species spotted in Singapore are known to have stopped by the Kingfisher Wetlands.

This goes to show just how much migratory birds adore this natural sanctuary. Fans include several of Singapore’s nine Kingfisher species such as the White-collared Kingfisher and Common Kingfisher. On luckier days, you will also catch a glimpse of rarer guests such as the White-breasted Waterhen, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, and Lesser Whistling Ducks.

Insects like the Plain Tiger Butterfly and Blue Dasher Dragonfly are frequent visitors too. And for animal lovers, one word of advice: keep your eyes peeled. You never know when the Malayan Water Monitor and Smooth-coated Otter will make their special appearances.

Testbedding Nature-based Solutions

A Living Laboratory

Supported by Temasek and SG Eco Fund, a one-year pilot study was conducted at Kingfisher Wetlands to explore the potential for urban wetlands to capture carbon. Leveraging Kingfisher Wetlands as a living laboratory, the study identified mangrove species that do well in Gardens by the Bay’s freshwater conditions, and as such, can be planted in man-made wetlands to provide more habitats that are attractive to biodiversity. The results also revealed that carbon content in the sediments of the ponds within Kingfisher Wetlands was higher than natural “blue carbon” ecosystems– likely due to the low environment variability such as tides, currents and inundation frequency. In addition, carbon stock of mangroves at Kingfisher Wetlands increased as the plants grew over the monitoring period. Taken together with the biodiversity it supports, man-made wetlands are a potential nature-based climate solution that can improve the resilience of cities against climate change.

Community Engagement

A Living Laboratory

Kingfisher Wetlands is also a platform for community engagement, where the Wonderful Wetlands Series engaged over 850 members of public, including tertiary institutions and corporate groups. Through public lectures and mangrove monitoring sessions, participants learnt about the importance of mangroves and nature-based solutions and citizen scientists helped to collect data on site.  

Resources

Check out these slides from the Wonderful Wetlands Series to learn more about mangroves and the study at Kingfisher Wetlands:

Gardens by the bay

World Environment Day 2022: Blue Carbon in Mangroves

Download here

Gardens by the bay

Climate Action Week 2022: Mangroves of Singapore

Download here

Gardens by the bay

Go Green SG 2023: Lessons from Urban Wetlands – Mangroves in Freshwater and Carbon Sequestration

Download here

Mangroves

Mangroves are incredibly hardy trees. Mangroves are defined by their common ability to grow submerged in brackish water (water saltier than freshwater, but not as much saltwater). Found on coastlines, they offer critical shelters for hundreds of marine lives. Most amazingly, mangroves are known to be able to sequester four times more carbon than rainforests!

Visiting the mangroves? Try spotting these local mangrove heroes among the varied species.

Kingfishers of the Lake and other wildlife

16 out of 40 migratory bird species spotted in Singapore are known to have stopped by the Kingfisher Wetlands.

This goes to show just how much migratory birds adore this natural sanctuary. Fans include several of Singapore’s nine Kingfisher species such as the White-collared Kingfisher and Common Kingfisher. On luckier days, you will also catch a glimpse of rarer guests such as the White-breasted Waterhen, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, and Lesser Whistling Ducks.

Insects like the Plain Tiger Butterfly and Blue Dasher Dragonfly are frequent visitors too. And for animal lovers, one word of advice: keep your eyes peeled. You never know when the Malayan Water Monitor and Smooth-coated Otter will make their special appearances.

Testbedding Nature-based Solutions

A Living Laboratory

Supported by Temasek and SG Eco Fund, a one-year pilot study was conducted at Kingfisher Wetlands to explore the potential for urban wetlands to capture carbon. Leveraging Kingfisher Wetlands as a living laboratory, the study identified mangrove species that do well in Gardens by the Bay’s freshwater conditions, and as such, can be planted in man-made wetlands to provide more habitats that are attractive to biodiversity. The results also revealed that carbon content in the sediments of the ponds within Kingfisher Wetlands was higher than natural “blue carbon” ecosystems– likely due to the low environment variability such as tides, currents and inundation frequency. In addition, carbon stock of mangroves at Kingfisher Wetlands increased as the plants grew over the monitoring period. Taken together with the biodiversity it supports, man-made wetlands are a potential nature-based climate solution that can improve the resilience of cities against climate change.

Community Engagement

A Living Laboratory

Kingfisher Wetlands is also a platform for community engagement, where the Wonderful Wetlands Series engaged over 850 members of public, including tertiary institutions and corporate groups. Through public lectures and mangrove monitoring sessions, participants learnt about the importance of mangroves and nature-based solutions and citizen scientists helped to collect data on site.  

Resources

Check out these slides from the Wonderful Wetlands Series to learn more about mangroves and the study at Kingfisher Wetlands:

Gardens by the bay

World Environment Day 2022: Blue Carbon in Mangroves

Download here

Gardens by the bay

Climate Action Week 2022: Mangroves of Singapore

Download here

Gardens by the bay

Go Green SG 2023: Lessons from Urban Wetlands – Mangroves in Freshwater and Carbon Sequestration

Download here