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Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Singapore by Zairon –

Top 10 Historic Facts about Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Singapore

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is Singapore’s oldest nature reserve and houses animals and plants of many different species in lush green forests. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is an urban park spanning about 1,063 acres in the western part of Singapore. The park largely comprises secondary rainforest and includes a range of wildlife. Established in 1878, the nature reserve is said to be one of the earliest such reserves in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Located in the northeastern part of Singapore, the park was originally occupied by the Kallang community before it was transferred to the government. The area is bounded by Peninsular Drive, Bukit Timah Road, Chai Chee Road and Bukit Timah Road. It is an important recreational space in Singapore and a popular destination for residents. This article lists ten historical facts about this reserve that you may not have known!

1.A Forest Fire Broke Out in the Bukit Timah Reserve in 1950 and Killed Over 130 Animals and Plants

Forest fire by U.S. Department of Agriculture – Wikimedia Commons

The fire started in the forested area at Bukit Timah in the early morning of April 7, 1950, and was brought under control after three days. In addition, the burnt forest shriveled into ashes and polluted the air with extremely high levels of gases.

The air pollution caused by smoke from the forest fire led to a cumulative effect of pertussis, whooping cough, diphtheria, bronchitis, asthma, heart disease, and cancer.

2.Earlier, the Area was Known as the Bukit Timah Hill Reserves

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore by Zairon –

It was a forest reserve, arboretum, and botanical garden established in 1858 by Sir Stamford Raffles, who named it as a tribute to Mr. William John Buckley, known as Timah, for his ability to work through hardships.

Buckley was one of Raffles’s aides-de-camp and accompanied him on many of his explorations in the late 1800s. The park was officially opened on June 5, 1859.

3.By August 1877, the Bukit Timah Reserve was Seriously Deforested

Deforestation by Hans(User Pixabay)-

Evolution and progress took a toll on the old-growth forests of Singapore. By August 1877, Singapore was seriously deforested, with less than 10% of the original forest cover remaining.

Then, in 1883, a major fire raged through 900 hectares of the forest reserve, leaving only 350 hectares. In 1908 Raffles’ botanical collection was transferred to what is now 2013, the National Botanic Gardens Singapore in the neighboring Bukit Timah.

4.Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is Singapore’s Most Significant Natural Heritage Area

On November 12, 1999, the Ministry of the Environment, now called the National Environment Agency, designated Bukit Timah Nature Reserve as a Natural Heritage Area, which also guarantees its protection under national laws. It is one of the two such areas in Singapore – Woodlands is the other.

5.Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was Once a Land of Unfiltered Water

When Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was first established, it had four sources of its water – Peirce Reservoir, Jalan Besar Filter Beds, East Coast Drainage Canal, and Lower Peirce Reservoir. The Lower Peirce Reservoir was the source of unfiltered water in Bukit Timah.

6.World-famous Orchid Collector John William Reeve Discovered Reeve’s Maxillaria in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Orchid collector John William Reeve made his first trip to Singapore in 1877 and discovered 100 species of orchids while exploring Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Singapore. One of them was Reeve’s Maxillaria, which is named after him. This is the reason Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is considered a unique place to find orchids, as it is home to many different species of orchids.

The orchid species found here are mainly found in secondary forest areas. On July 29, 2015, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was joined with another area to create an orchid park named Jurong Bird Park and Nature Reserve

The nature reserve is also home to about 250 species. Birds can be sighted at various points along forest trails, parks, while some are commonly spotted on top of trees in search of food. The nature reserve is also known for its rich butterfly species. More than 100 species have been sighted here since the creation of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

7.The Pteridophyte Flora Inventory 1989–2000 Reported That the Nature Reserve Has About 250 Species of Vascular Plants, Including Many Rare, Threatened, or Endangered Species

Some endangered species include the pitcher plant Nepenthes singalana, one of the largest in the world. The plant is endangered due to commercial logging, forest fires, and encroachment by the human population. The nature reserve also has another pitcher plant species, the Nepenthes hirsuta, which is smaller but has larger leaves. Other rare plants in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve include the Tembusu Fagraea fragrans, Cassia fistula, and the rattan palm Calamus rotang.

8.On September 11, 1929, the BTR Park was Officially Opened

On September 11, 1929, the Bukit Timah Reserve park was officially opened to the public with a ceremony officiated by Sir Laurence Guillemard, Governor of the Straits Settlement. It soon became Singapore’s first zoo, with a collection of many species of animals, birds, and reptiles.

Visitors could also avail themselves of the zoo’s facilities for bird watching, nature appreciation, and hiking. A small zoo was established in 1936 at Kranji as part of its natural environment conservation scheme to protect large predators such as tigers from extinction. The park was then part of the Bukit Timah Game Reserve.

9.Since It Was Opened, the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is Currently Managed By the National Parks Board

Rock marking the Summit by Loenard Reback-

The National Parks Board also runs the nearby Night Safari, River Safari, and Jurong Bird Park. The total area of Bukit Timah Park is 1,063 acres and 436 hectares, more than half of which comprises secondary rainforest. More than 250 bird species can be found in the park, and it has been a designated nature reserve since 1979.

10.There are Several Birdwatching Sites in Bukit Timah Park

With more than 250 species of birds, Bukit Timah Park is famous for its wide variety of bird life. The park also houses the best locations for bird watching in Singapore. The parks’ lakes, such as Lakeside Walk and Old Hill Trail, are good spots for viewing birds during their nests, feeding, and caring for their young ones.

Because of the rich and varied flora and fauna found in the park, Bukit Timah Park is considered a critical habitat for threatened species such as Nepenthes singalana, Meconopsis betonicifolia, Butea monosperma, and Melanorrhoea indica. In addition, the park hosts various mammals, including tigers, leopards, civets, monkeys, spotted deer, several species of bats, and many other reptiles.