We paused for a moment on entering the zoo at the memorial garden built to commemorate the animals that died in a ferocious fire that swept through the zoo’s reptile house. We were heartened to hear that the fire crew was able to rescue a pair of dwarf crocodiles and an otter that was housed nearby. The “Lost Kingdom” has been constructed since, and we were able to experience the tropical climate inside and see the crocodiles that survived the fire next to some American alligators, a crocodile monitor, a python and a rhinoceros iguana with its three horn-like lumps on its head.

On the way to the reptile house, some Asian short-clawed otters came swimming across the pond to greet us. Nearby were the extremely sociable meerkats in their enclosure built to recreate the African desert. We saw one meerkat acting as a sentry perching on its hind legs and scanning the sky for predators. We saw its large eyes surrounded by dark patches which we learnt reduces the glare from the bright desert sun. We saw a spider monkey and learnt how this species is critically endangered due to deforestation.

We saw the red panda perched high in the trees and walking across a roped tightrope. We learnt how this carnivore has adapted to living in an herbivorous environment and eats mainly bamboo leaves. We caught a glimpse of the snow leopards sheltering from the heat in their enclosure recreated to mimic their native mountainous habitat. It was difficult to spot them at first because they were camouflaged so well into their surroundings. We learnt how global warming is threatening their survival and how the warmer weather is increasing the growth of plants in their habitats which makes the snow leopards easier to spot by predators.

We moved to the bear enclosure and read about the moving story of Peggy, Suzzie and Carmen – three bears who were rescued from a circus. One of the bears, Suzzie, was so traumatized by the appalling conditions she was kept in that, on her arrival at the zoo, she kept walking in small circles. All three bears have since passed away, but we were glad to learn that they spent some happy years at the zoo enjoying their purpose-built woodland enclosure with its waterfall and stream. Two new bears have since arrived at the zoo and we caught one walking through the woodland. A passerby kindly showed us a video he had taken of them earlier on in the day of them. He had captured them splashing and playing together in the pond.

Four male lions were rescued from a travelling circus in Belgium and were brought to the zoo in 2015. We saw pictures of the lions crammed into tiny metal cages and learnt that they had their claws ripped out and were beaten by sticks. The lions are now living happy, safe and healthy lives at the zoo and we were delighted to see them close-up looking relaxed and enjoying a nap in the warm sunshine. Nearby we caught a glimpse of some arctic wolves, and a lynx tucking into its lunch.

Many other animals such as lemurs, wallabies and monkeys entertained us on our wander around the zoo and delighted us with their antics. Chad, the enormous African Spurred tortoise, saw us depart and bade us a fond farewell till next year.