A couple’s visit to the Night Safari could have ended on a disappointing note after they misplaced a cherished keychain.
But luckily for them, attentive staff helped reunite the couple with their missing item before the night was over.
The visitor shared the heartwarming encounter on Reddit, thanking staff for going above and beyond to recover the plush keychain.
The couple, who visited the Night Safari on 27 June, started their night with the Creatures of the Night show at the amphitheatre.
Source: allency on Reddit
After the show ended, crowds gathered around the owls for photo opportunities.
The couple joined them and believe this was where they accidentally lost their plush capybara keychain.
The Original Poster (OP), who wishes to stay anonymous, said they only realised it was missing later while riding the Night Safari tram with their partner.
Source: Mandai Wildlife Reserve
“We were distraught after we realised we had lost him,” they wrote.
Unable to re-enter the amphitheatre without tickets for the subsequent show, they approached a staff member for help and filed a lost-and-found report.
The OP said that the staff took their request seriously and worked together to search for the missing item.
Although they did not know the name of the staff member who first assisted them, they said the entire team played a part in recovering the keychain.
“They took extra steps to take my phone number down, to call me, and they even recognised me and reminded me to recover our lost and well-loved capybara keychain,” added the OP.
Source: Google Maps
Speaking to MS News, the OP said it took about 30 minutes to an hour before they were notified that their keychain had been found.
Rather than asking them to return immediately, the staff encouraged the couple to continue enjoying the park and collect it before leaving.
Damian Wong, Manager, Park Operations at Mandai Wildlife Group, told MS News the team knew the missing keychain held sentimental value for the couple and wanted to do everything they could to reunite them with it.
“I could tell the keychain meant a lot to the guests, so our team wanted to do everything we could to help find it and make sure they left with fond memories of their visit,” he shared, being the one who assisted the guests with their missing item.
“Seeing their smiles when they collected it made my day. It’s always a nice feeling when guests have an enjoyable time, and it makes us feel great too!”
Source: Mandai Wildlife Reserve
Mr Wong added that recovering lost items is a collaborative effort involving staff from across the park.
“Whenever a guest reports a missing item, our Park Operations team works with colleagues across the park, including tram captains, cleaners, and animal care staff, to help look for it,” he shared.
“If we’re unable to locate it immediately, we’ll help file a lost report so the search can continue after their visit.”
According to the manager, misplaced belongings are more common than many visitors might expect, but helping guests recover them remains rewarding every time.
“We see this more often than you’d think, and it never gets old seeing the relief on a guest’s face when we’re able to return something they thought was gone for good,” said Mr Wong.
The OP told MS News that it was their first visit to the Night Safari.
They said they enjoyed seeing the animals and did not want the experience overshadowed by the loss of a sentimental keepsake.
“We saw a lot of cute animals, and we really loved it. We didn’t want the experience to be ruined by the loss of our cute keychain, and we are very grateful that he was found,” the OP added.
“I would like to add that all of the staff were extremely warm and helpful, and I would like that to be known.”
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Featured image adapted from allency on Reddit and Google Maps.