The first stop on our shuttle ride around the Baluarte Zoo was the Safari Gallery, an airconditioned building that houses a massive collection of Singson's "Trophies" of all the animals he hunted and killed from his trophy hunting trips overseas. Such an odd sport or hobby if I may say so. It just doesn't feel right even if it is legal in many countries.
We honestly didn't know what to expect because we didn't do any research before the visit. We were supposed to go to another place that morning but the youngsters of the family pleaded they wanted to see a lion and other animals in real life so we dropped by the zoo thinking it could be educative for them.
This photo below of the gallery building was captured while we were still on the shuttle and were just arriving at the hill where it is located.
Upon entering, we were met by this mural. I believe it's the portrait of the man himself (Singson) and some of the animals in his collection.
We took the door to the left and I found myself gasping and muttering "Oh my!" at the sight we had been presented with.
This huge polar bear was standing tall right there. One could hardly miss it, including the others - bears and such.
Or this Rhino which had been placed at the center front of the room. There were "Do not touch", "Do not enter" or "No entry" signages almost everywhere.
I saw a living Rhino years ago but not this size (this one is really big) so I thought it might have been fake when one of the gallery attendants confirmed that the animals were real, except that they were already dead and taxidermized.
Right behind the Rhinoceros are a buffalo and an African lion. It made me wonder what chemicals they used in preserving these poor mammals and that their skins and hairs are still intact. We were told that the gallery opened in 2019.
Then the African Elephant. It is so huge! Its tusk is still ivory-white despite some dust. A Nile Crocodile is displayed just in front of its feet. There were other people already when we went in which made it challenging to take photos without a head or two being included in the captures.
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Then there was a Hippo! I never thought Hippos was this big! I imagine it could easily swallow a person!
Like the others, there was a framed photo of Singson with his hunting gun. The man is truly a trophy hunter, huh? I was finding it hard to believe at first but well, he's got proofs!
Turning left, there were big cats - Amur Leopard, a tiger, and more lions. Other horned animals include gemsbok, different species of springbok, bulls, and big horned & painted sheep just to name a few. There's a Wolverine, and smaller cats too - cougar, lynx, etc.
And there's a wolf even! There is no further information like when and where most of the animals were hunted but this one looks as if it isn't that old. Or perhaps the taxidermist did a great job.
We saw bears (brown and black) as well as Wildebeest's, Kudu's, and Eland's heads on the wall plus Singson's framed photos.
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Walking further and turning left to the other side of the room, we see more deer, Impala, Reindeer, Sable Antelope, Wapiti, Russian Moose, Rams, Musk Oxen, Big Horned Sheep, Marco Polo, and what have you.
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Here are some more shots of the horned animals before we proceed to the upper deck.
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Up there were photos of the trophy hunter with some of the animals. At the center of the wall was a painting, a portrait of Singson in the form of a centaur. The sight of it sent chills down my spine and I left the space right after taking a few shots. I found out soon after that my family was already outside.
This photo was a collage of frame shots from a video taken by my nephew (forgive me for the poor edits).
Accordingly, Singson's purpose in bringing home all his hunting trophies was for his town folks to learn about the animals and what they look like, especially to those who haven't seen them in real life. Some people say he just wanted to show off his big E (ego)/pride, and excessive wealth.
One would also be asking "How the hell did he bring all those big animals?" Well, he has money and from what we heard, he's an influential politician so what would one expect?
Would we set foot in that place again?
That would be a big NO. And we would not recommend it either because it would surely break your heart, especially if you care for the welfare of animals.
All photos are my own. 07012024/19:00ph