Have yourself a merry little Halloween

Participants of this year's The New Paper Courts Big Walk are in for a double treat.

This year's Safari Boo, which will be over six days later this month, will have two new shows: Monster Boo! and Mermaid Mania.

FUN-FILLED: Furry Tales show with a great white pelican last year. PHOTO: WILDLIFE RESERVES SINGAPORE

Monster Boo! is about a group of animals battling an evil villain to restore peace and fun to Safari Boo.

On the latter, Ms Isabel Cheng, chief marketing officer from Wildlife Reserves Singapore, says: "We will introduce an underwater performance, with humans (dressed up as) mermaids swimming with manatees (which inspired the myths about mermaids) at our Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit, the largest freshwater aquarium in the world."

One manatee, Canola, is the first of its kind to be hand-raised by keepers from River Safari. Abandoned as a calf, Canola's life was threatened.

Fortunately, the keepers came to the female's rescue.

FUN-FILLED: Divers in skeleton costumes in the manatee exhibit. PHOTO: WILDLIFE RESERVES SINGAPORE

Canola has become River Safari's animal icon and it will act as the wildlife ambassador for its species and all threatened wildlife.

Safari Boo was Singapore's first-ever Halloween event for children when it was launched in 2014.

FOR FAMILIES

Says Ms Cheng: "It adopts a merry-not-scary approach and does not have the ghoulishness and scariness normally associated with Halloween.

"Instead, it promotes a wholesome environment, peppered with interactive and educational fun and activities about our animal collection.

"Plus, guests also get to see River Safari in a different light - at night."

Parents are included, too.

"This year, we are going to host a family pageant for the best costumes, and we encourage mums and dads to join their kids in dressing up for some family bonding."

So participants can expect to see adorable vampires, ghosts, princesses and werewolves at Safari Boo. Ms Cheng says: "There will also be an exciting story of animals like the capybara, green iguana and binturong.

"Guests will also go through a journey of wildlife discovery featuring trick-or-treating and game stations, craft and educational booths, mascot appearances from giant pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia, Puskar the red panda and Canola the manatee, and there will be plenty of photo opportunities."

And what is Halloween without trick-or-treating?

Ms Cheng says: "Guests will have the opportunity to trick or treat with characters in cute alien and monster costumes. We have prepared some delicious treats and healthy drinks mums will approve of."

* Book your dates for Safari Boo on Oct 21 to 23 and Oct 28 to 30, from 6pm to 10pm at https://safariboo.wrs.com.sg/.

---

The New Paper Courts Big Walk @ Singapore Zoo

WHEN

Saturday, Nov 26, 2pm

WHERE

Singapore Zoo & Night Safari

HOW

Register online at www.tnpbigwalk.sg

REGISTRATION FEE

$42 ($35 for early-bird sign-ups)

BONUS

Discounted tickets to the River Safari at $8 each with every registration (maximum of four tickets per participant)