A June 2012 day at Chester Zoo: red river hogs at the waterhole, sparring zebras, a cheetah in the buttercups, and Sumatran tigers with name boards.
In June 2012, with Dileep's brother visiting, we drove over to Chester Zoo, which sits so close to the Welsh border that the satnav kept its options open. It earned its reputation one enclosure at a time.
In the tropical house
The welcome committee. An iguana holding a pose no yoga teacher would attempt.A blue morpho with its famous colour folded away. The eyespots handle security while the blue stays private.A chameleon proceeding at the only speed chameleons own, one deliberate limb at a time.
Out on the grounds
A capuchin working through a snack and, by the look of it, a difficult decision.A red river hog mid-drink. The white whiskers and ear tassels come as standard.The full outfit: rust coat, white racing stripe down the spine, tail like a bell pull.The cheetah clocked something over our shoulders and never told us what.Zebra diplomacy in action. Apparently this is how friendships stay current.Horn first, questions later. The grass never stood a chance.The Sumatran tigers kept to the long grass that afternoon, so the board made the introductions: Kirana and Fabi.
For more of our animal days out, there are hillside rhinos at Whipsnade and tigers at car-window range at Woburn Safari Park.
