Bukit Timah Nature Reserve facts for kids

The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a special place in Singapore. It's home to half of Singapore's original tropical rainforest! You can find it on Bukit Timah Hill, which is the highest natural point in Singapore. At the very top of the hill, there's a rock that tells you its height and location.

What Makes It Special?

The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) is right next to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. It's super important because it's the only remaining primary rainforest in Singapore. This means it's a forest that has never been cut down or replanted by humans. It covers about 163 hectares, which is like 228 football fields! Even though it's not huge, it's a vital green space.

Getting Around

It's easy to get to BTNR from other nature spots like Dairy Farm Nature Park and MacRitchie Reservoir. There are special paths that connect them, like the Dairy Farm Loop and the Kampong Trail. This helps animals move safely between these green areas.

A Look Back in Time

In 1825, an early leader of Singapore, John Crawfurd, explored Bukit Timah Hill. He found the forest so thick that it felt easier to sail to India than to reach the hill's summit!

About 40 years later, in 1843, a road was built to the top of the hill. Then, in 1883, BTNR became the first forest reserve in Singapore to be officially protected. This protection became law in 1939 because nearby granite quarries were threatening the forest.

For a long time, BTNR was part of a bigger nature area. But in the late 1980s, a highway called the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) was built. This highway split the big nature area, creating BTNR as a separate reserve.

In 1991, a group called NParks, which takes care of Singapore's parks, asked visitors what they thought. They used this feedback to make the reserve better for people, while also protecting the plants and animals. Some trails that went deep into the forest had to be closed because they were causing damage. So, the main trails were improved instead.

The Eco-Link Bridge

After the highway split the nature reserves, animals found it hard to move between BTNR and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. Nature lovers worried about this. They wanted a bridge to connect the two areas so animals could cross safely.

In 2005, a plan for a special bridge, called the Eco-Link, was agreed upon. Building started in 2011 and finished in 2013. After it was built, trees were planted on the bridge to make it feel like a natural part of the forest. Now, animals can use it to travel between the reserves!

Amazing Plants and Animals

BTNR is bursting with life! It's home to more than 840 types of flowering plants and 500 kinds of animals. This means it has about 40% of all the different plants and animals found in Singapore!

You'll see many Seraya trees, which are very tall and form the forest's top layer. Rare plants like the Mock Durian can also be found. Its fruit looks like a durian, but you can't eat it!

Some rare animals living here include the Forest Praying Mantis and the Singapore Freshwater Crab. You might also spot Pangolins, Horsfield's Flying Squirrels, and the Malayan Colugo (also known as the Malayan Flying Lemur). Giant Forest Ants are common too.

The most common monkey you'll see is the Long-tailed Macaque. BTNR also has many birds and insects. You'll hear Cicadas singing everywhere! Many types of birds and butterflies live here, though the birds are often heard more than seen. Some birds you might hear are the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and the Asian Fairy Bluebird. Rare butterflies, like the Dot-Dash Sergeant, have also been seen here.

Exploring the Trails

BTNR has four main trails: the Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow Trails. They all start from the same spot, which is about 40 meters above sea level. Poles along the trails have different colors to show you which path you're on.

Red Trail

The Red Trail is the main path that takes you from the bottom of the hill to the top. It's 1.2 kilometers long and is one of the easier trails. It takes about 30 minutes to walk up to the summit and 25 minutes to come back down.

Blue Trail

The Blue Trail is the shortest trail, at 0.7 kilometers. It's also one of the easier ones. It starts on the Red Trail but then branches off to lead you to the Hindhede Quarry. Walking up takes about 20 minutes, and coming back down takes about 18 minutes.

Green Trail

The Green Trail is 1.1 kilometers long. It takes about 30 minutes to go up and 25 minutes to come down. This trail is a detour that eventually leads back to the Red Trail near the summit.

Yellow Trail

The Yellow Trail is the toughest trail! It goes around the Jungle Fall Valley. You start on the Red Trail, then head into the dense forest. This trail has many steps, going sharply down to the Singapore Quarry (about 100-110 meters above sea level) before climbing sharply back up to join the Red Trail near the summit. It's 1.8 kilometers long and can take anywhere from 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours to hike up, and at least 55 minutes to come back down.

Fun Activities

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a popular spot for many Singaporeans. People come here every day to jog, hike, or just enjoy a peaceful walk. There's also a 6-kilometer-long Mountain Biking Trail for cyclists. This trail goes around the reserve, passing by old train tracks, the Singapore Quarry, Dairy Farm Nature Park, and the Bukit Timah Expressway.

Special Recognition

On October 18, 2011, BTNR was given the special status of an ASEAN Heritage Park. This means it's recognized as one of the most important natural areas in Southeast Asia. It's the second park in Singapore to get this honor, after Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Many Visitors

Since the 1990s, more and more Singaporeans have become interested in nature. The number of visitors to BTNR has grown a lot! In 1990, there were 88,000 visitors, and just eight years later, that number jumped to 400,000!

Images for kids

• 

  Steps leading to the summit of Bukit Timah.

• 

  A crab-eating macaque near the summit of Bukit Timah.