To the zoo on consecutive days

It has been a long time since we brought Snowylass to the zoo. So after several meaningful hints from Snowylady, I promised that weather permitting, we'd go the zoo last weekend, regardless of whether I manage to ballot for the company's Friends of the Zoo Corporate pass (which I had been unsuccessful the last few times).

And on Friday, a voice message on my office phone duly informed me that I did get the pass. Wow, that's a savings of S$37.50 for the entrance fee. But of course, I got to offset the costs incurred in me driving over to the company's HQ some 11 km away to get the pass, and back, and another return trip on Monday to return the pass. And since the Zoo revamped their rates and Corporate programs, the Corporate card don't include free-parking or discount on tram rides inside. We'll probably apply for a family Friends of the Zoo pass when the kids are older.

Grandma volunteered to cook the porridge for Snowylad, knowing that me and wifey are usually quite zonked out on weekend mornings. That was very helpful as the recent rain prevented us doing laundry, so we had to send it to the laundramat Saturday morning, before going to the zoo.

Despite the errands we had to run, me aware that to a kid full of anticipation like Snowylass, errands are interminable delays, we made it to the zoo.

One thing I immediately realised is that 2 adults bringing 2 young kids (a 3-yr old and a 9-month old) to the zoo, the physical obstacles become rather accentuated. There had been numerous physical changes to the zoo over the years, one of them being making the zoo look more like part of the jungle rather than a park with well manicured lawns.

All well and good, I always thought the animals would fare better in environments closer to their natural environments in the wild.

Unfortunately, the makeover also highlighted to me that all these efforts made the crampness of the spaces the animals are confined to all the more obvious.

Other than the few species of free-roaming fauna such as orang-utans, most animals still look downright miserable in their enclosures, especially the larger ones like the white tigers, the lions, the polar bears (which incidentally would be moved to another zoo since the vets confirmed they are not doing well in Singapore, the Zoo announced they would not take in anymore artic animals and concentrate of developing a tropical zoo).

On the one hand, I appreciate being able to show the animals in real life to my kids without having to go to an African or Indian safari, which I cannot afford.

On the other hand, I just don't think that is sufficient justification for confining these animals.

Singapore is small, but IMO, it has too many golf courses occupying too much spaces - spaces which would have been better used for a bigger zoo.

The present zoo claims to take more than the area of 35 football fields. That is still smaller than many golf courses. I thought the tigers should be given at least 3 football field size area.

Moving on, we managed to catch part of the Wonders of the Wild animal show, missing the beginning as we moved rather slowly and the amphitheatre is on the other end of the zoo. I must say that the change in contents was something to be thankful for - for the last few times I visited in recent years, it was always the same programme. But having a staff dressed as a jungle-dwelling native of SE Asia was ridiculous.

After the Wonders of the Wild, we moved leisurely to the Elephant Show next door. We were early for the show, but it was fortunate we came before the scheduled time, for we caught the elephants as they were painting. Yes, painting, with paintbrushes, oil/water colours, on white drawing papers. And these were random brushes but actual pictures of flowers, better than what 3-year old Snowylass could produce.

I'm not sure how the elephants were trained, but they did look like they knew what they were doing, pausing during their work, pacing around etc., Fortunately, none of them smoked like many human artists do. I am very approving of the zoo designated the whole park non-smoking. It was quite a sight too, seeing one of the elephants pooping with its back facing towards us.

All too soon, we had to head back to the entrance to feed the children. I forgot to bring the porridge from the car, hence we had to go back. All the commercial expansion of the zoo meant there were plenty of tables and chairs we could sit on to feed the kids without having to dine at a particular outlet. The prices they charge are obscene. There was a Cheers minimart, supposedly part of the NTUC Supermarket chain, but charging S$2 for a small-sized bottled water.

And that was Day One. It was fortunate we went in the morning, for it rained cats and dogs in the late afternoon.

The rain continued the next morning. By then, Snowylady was quite tired out and it was decided so that we do not disappoint Snowylass, I would bring her to the zoo myself, after she had her nap. Snowylass must have been tired out too, for she napped for 3 hours, much longer than usual. By the time she woke up, I had to burn rubber to get to the zoo.

I found the second day easier to move around with only 2 of us. I know I'd be accused of spoiling her, but I found it even easier after purchasing the tram tickets. One of her favourite zoo song was "The Zoo Train". Okay, so I indulged her. Besides, we were running late to catch the last show of the day.

Despite the tram, we only managed to get the last bit of the Animal Friends show (also at the other end of the zoo from the entrance), and I had to carry Snowylass on my shoulders to look over the crowds.

Not much time for leisurely look as the skies began to darken. At least Snowylass caught sight of the zebras, the giraffes and the lions, albeit from the tram. She really wanted to see the koalas, but the zoo staff we enquired do not seem to know whether they had any. The Australian outback section was the only chance, but nope, no koalas.

I suppose it was some sort of sensitivity on the part of the zoo that they got the smaller kangaroos. In the past, they had the big ones, but those would have been miserable at the small confines.

The most important visit of the day though, was to being Snowylass to say goodbye to the Polar Bears. As of now, Inuka would be moved to another zoo after the death of his 29-year old mother, Sheba. Sheba is deemed too old to be moved, and polar bear in captivity have a life-expectation of 25 years.

I thought of how important it was to show Snowylass and let her know about animals, and the fact that many of them do not fare well in captivity, even in a zoo which try its best, like Singapore's.

As for myself, I have decided unless I can afford really big spaces, I won't even keep fishes.

Animals, like humans, have natural biological cycles. Neutering them seem like a very selfish act, an indication that the pet is there only to serve the humans. Even if they are not neutered, most would be deprived of living according to their natural biological cycles. And those that were allowed to mate and bear children would see their children taken away from them soon after birth.

Coincidentally, Snowylass returned on Monday after childcare with a note from the school indicating they were preparing the children for a trip to the zoo. She would be delirious when it happens.