Designed in 1964 by Alec Fraser-Brunner, Director of the Van Kleef Aquarium, it was registered as a trademark by the Singapore Tourism Board in 1966. On September 15, 1972, the iconic main statue—crafted by sculptor Lim Leng Seng—was unveiled at the mouth of the Singapore River, presided over by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. In 1997, due to the obstructed view caused by the Marina Bridge, the statue was relocated in 2002 to its current location at Singapore Lion Park (in front of the Fullerton Hotel, along the Marina Bay waterfront).