Urban Wilderness - The Zoo by Lizzie Chan

Hey, there kids! Have you packed your backpacks for an adventurous animal quest in a jungle-hiking trip this coming school holidays? No? Okay, maybe a wilderness exploration may sound a little too adventurous for the time being but you can still have the same amount of fun by visiting our National Zoo!

Located in Ampang, this animal retreat may seem small from the outside but Zoo Negara actually houses 5137 animals from a selection of 459 species! As you stepped through the gates, you will be greeted by a graceful towering creature that has the longest neck you'll ever see!

Those spots are pretty, aren't they? Giraffes are one of the tallest animals on earth as male giraffes can grow up to 19 feet tall! Females on the other hand can stand up to 16 feet tall.

With those long-neck mammals aside, you will see another group of gentle giants next to their dens. What kind of animal could that be? Well, let's just say these creatures are very careful around mice.

You've guessed it! Elephants. Did you know that our land's biggest mammals are like children too? They need discipline from other mature elephants in order to be a responsible member of the herd. This obedient elephant here is keeping itself cool by hiding under the shed from the hot weather.

Besides having great creatures like these, you can also find many smaller mammals in the zoo's large compound; like our favourite storybook deer for instance!

Could this be Bambi? Whether it is our little lost deer or not, fawns (baby deers) have no scent. With that, enemies of these cute animals will not be able to detect them, thus keeping them away from harm.

A few sections away from the deers, you will find a mysterious black and white creature that looks like a combination of a pig and a small cow. Don't know which animal I'm talking about? Why, it's the Tapir of course!

The adorable little thing is having its breakfast in its compound.

If you've had enough of tiny little mammals, fret not for the next section will definitely bring out the excitement in you! Here, you will come face-to-face with the king of the jungle.

Lions! Hear them roar! (If they really do, remember to cover your ears because an adult lion's roar is so powerful, it can be heard up to five miles away.) A pair of those ferocious cats are seen lazing around a wooden platform, enjoying the sun.

There are also numerous bears being kept in a few compounds not far off. You can see how teddy's original friends live their furry lives when you visit them at their respective homes!

Did you know that bears are closely related to pandas, raccoons and even dogs?

There are many other animals that you can visit at the zoo besides these. So come on now, what are you waiting for? The urban wilderness must be explored!

A Trip to Zoo Negara by Farah Ashraff

     Last week, my friends and I had an amazing trip to our country’s national zoo, Zoo Negara. We saw many different animals from the majestic lion to the humble giraffe. We also explored many different areas of the zoo, from the Savannah Walk that looked like an actual African plain to the Ape Centre where we got to play with the orang utan through a glass window.

The zoo's one and only majestic lion

Rhino spotted at the Savannah Walk

     We arrived at 11 o’clock in the morning, just in time for the lake bird’s feeding. There were painted storks, ibises, egrets, swans, and pelicans roaming freely and they were hungry birds indeed. We watched as the birds ate their meal of fresh fishes, some of them even fought to get more than their share.

Painted storks during feeding time

     As we walked on, we spotted giraffes and elephants which were big yet gentle animals. They were curious when we approached them mainly because we were one of the earliest visitors of the day! One of our classmates held out a leafy branch which the giraffes reached out to munch happily.

Curious giraffes

     At the Bear Complex, we spotted four different types of bears, the Asiatic Black Bear, Sloth Bear, Malaysian Sun Bear, and the big Brown Bear. Luckily for us, most of them were awake and we had fun watching them move around restlessly. At the Ape Centre, we had the chance to finally see the famous orang utans. As there was only a glass window separating us, an adorable baby ape stared at us curiously while we watch it play.

A big brown bear standing up for the camera

     After three hours of fun, we made our final stop at the Children’s World. There was a petting zoo where we could touch different animals like the donkey, rabbits and ducks. There was also a playground where we spent every last energy we have left wrapping up our wonderful trip at the zoo.

Farah Ashraff.

Discover Zoo Negara

Hi there kids! Do you remember the beautiful Master Tigress from the movie Kung Fu Panda or the cheeky Master Monkey who was a friend to Po, the Giant Panda? Well, these animals don’t actually wear traditional Chinese clothes or bust-out some cool kung fu moves like the ones you see in the movie. So, come by our Zoo Negara and get up and close to these animals, but not too close as they might bite!

 Animal characters from the movie Kung Fu Panda.

            With over 450 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, Zoo Negara is definitely the place to be for you to see these animals in real life. As you enter, don’t be alarmed when you hear trumpet-like sounds coming to greet you. This welcoming greeting comes from the huge Asian elephant that can weigh up to two tones! If you’re lucky, you might even get a chance to feed these elephants and see how they extend their muscular trunks to reach out to food and water. Amazingly enough, elephants can live as long as an average human being, and sometimes even longer.

 An elephant squirting water out of its trunk.

            You can also spot many brightly coloured giraffes there. These giraffes have long necks that can grow longer than two meters. The necks of giraffes help them to reach for food in the form of leaves, far up on the trees. Don’t be surprised when a giraffe stucks out its long, blue-black tongue at you. Their tongues can reach lengths up to 50 centimeters and is solid enough to withstand sharp thorns from leaves, which giraffes happen to eat in their diet.

 A friendly giraffe being fed by young tourists.

            Watch how the apes swing from tree to tree at Zoo Negara too. The baby Orang Utan is also friendly and likes to stick its lips out, just waiting for a cheeky kiss. Depending on the time and season, Zoo Negara would have regular animal shows where their animals like the sea lion, monkeys, elephants and many more showcase their interesting talents.

Front entrance of Zoo Negara.

            So kids, do drop by Zoo Negara during this school holiday and bring your parents around for a fun-filled family trip in our own national zoo!

By,

 Abdullah Izzudin, 

DMC09.

Zoo Negara Review - Kids Version

Hello! Have you been to the national zoo before? You surely must not miss it because there are so many animals to see and you can pet them in Children's World. Zoo Negara is home to 5137 animals of 459 different species.

Children's World has many cute animals like ducks, fish, fowls, birds as well as rabbits hopping around the place! There is also a miniature horse barn and a fun playground too.

You know that rabbits have long ears but do you know that their long ears are used to detect predators? Rabbits have strong hind legs, five toes on the front paws, four toes for the hind feet and they move around using the tips of their toes.

This is the Multi Animal Show Amphitheater, a place you should be at when you visit the zoo. The show starts at 11am daily. Don't be late!

This is the performance by a talented sea-lion. Look, it's shaking hands with the trainer. Sea-lions walks on four flippers on land. Do you know how much fish they eat every day? 20kg.

You must be wondering where's all the fierce animals. Here you go, the king of the jungle, the lion. When lions hunt, they hunt in group because this will increase their success rate. Lions can live up to 13 years , some up to 20 years.

The Malayan Tiger can only be found in Malayan Pennisula which explains the origins of its name. In the tiger family, this Malayan Tiger is the smallest in size. Tigers are great swimmers. Do you know how tiger mark their territory? They spray their urine to trees and bushes and scratches tree trunks. Tiger's are able to live without food for as long as a week but when they eat, they eat about six kilos of meat a day. Their saliva acts as an antiseptic to heal their wounds.

Camels have humps on their back. The Arabian camels have one hump and Bactrian camel has two humps. the humps are actually a lump of fat. Camels can live up to 50 years. They do not chew the food but instead they swallow it straight. Camels can live without water for months but when they drink, they drink about 200 litres in one day.

For a fun and exciting adventure, bring your parents along and come down to the Zoo Negara!

Zoo, Zoo, Zoo..... It's a place for you to go

Zoo Review (Kids Version)

by Cayman Yong

Children, have you ever been to the zoo before? If you have not, then you should get your daddy and mummy to bring you to Zoo Negara at Ampang. It is a fun place for you to go over the weekend. You will be amazed and jumping with joy to see over 5137 animals from 459 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.

Giraffe! Giraffe is the tallest of all land-living animal species. It is very tall that you need a ladder to climb up to its’ face for a clear look of it.

Elephant! You do like the elephant, right? The elephant is the largest land mammals now living.

Have you watched Lion and The King? This is the lion! *ROAR* Beware of this animal. Do not go close to it as it is one of dangerous animals.

Black and white! Is it a zebra? Nope, it is a tapir! Tapir is similar in shape to a pig, so it is cute!

Good news for you, children! There is Children’s World for you in the zoo. It is a place where there are many cute animals for you to see and touch such as rabbit and pony. You will love the cute animals very much!

Don’t you love this pony?

Visitor Information of Zoo Negara. Do show it to your daddy and mummy, okay? Make sure they bring you to the zoo for the fun and exciting moment. You will love the zoo very much! And there is cooling and delicious ice-cream for you to enjoy too! *yumm*

Get your daddy and mummy to logon to http://www.zoonegara.org.my/ for more information or contact them at +603-41083422.

Have lots of fun time in the zoo, children! :)

Once upon a zoo...

Once upon a zoo…

I set my alarm at 7 in the morning, but I woke up at 6.30 instead.  I was very excited to go to the Zoo!  Kids, all of you are very lucky today.  Why? I will take you on a tour to one of the finest place in Malaysia, which is Zoo Negara!

I am sure most of you know what zoo is all about.  A place filled with amazing animals, small ones, big ones, cute ones and all!  So kids, here goes my story. 

When I came to the zoo, I was surrounded by animals.  The first animal that I saw was the monkeys!  They were so big and active!  The monkeys were swinging from tree to tree and looked very excited when they saw me!  Monkeys have very long, dark-colored hair.  I took some pictures of the monkeys and one my friends says I look just like them!

Chilling monkeys

After that, I went on a small choo-choo train to see the other animals.  Kids, guess what?  I saw the king of the jungle, the lions!  They looked very fierce and sharp looking!  The lions’ furs were golden and they seem very strong.  Just when I was about to take photos of them, they went ‘ngaaaaauuum’!  I get quite scared but I still think lions are cool.

Fierce looking lion

Then, I decided to jump off the train and get close to the animals.  While enjoying the sight-seeing, I saw the giraffes!  I am sure all of you love them!  Mum must always tell you to drink a lot of milk to be tall like the giraffes, right?  Kids, the giraffes were great!  They looked very humble and charming.  Even though they are extremely tall, they looked down to greet me! I get to touch their fur and it was very soft!

After that, I went to see the penguins.  The penguins were inside the special aquarium.  Why is it has to be special?  As you kids need to know, penguins are the aquatic animals that need to live in a very cold place.  So, the aquarium is made cold especially for the penguins.  They were very cute-looking!  Their furs are black and white in color and their wings become flippers!  At that time, I could hear them making quaky sounds!  Who does not love the penguins?

  Super cute penguin

So kids, I hope you will bring your parents to Zoo Negara soon!  They are a lot more animals you can see there.  You can get you mom and dad to buy you various ice-cream flavors while you visit the animals, alright?  Have fun kids!         

 by Filzah Sobri, DMC10

The Zoo Negara ( Min Kim-DMC08)

Hello children! Do you have plans for the coming weekend? Not to worry because Zoo Negara is waiting for you. Come to Hulu Kelang, Ampang to see different types of animal yourself. There are total of over 5137 animals from 459 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.

You will be experiencing jungle life in the zoo. It is best to wear a cap or bring an umbrella for this trip. Oh! Do not forget to bring a camera to capture your favourite animal!

The pictures below are taken from the zoo. Which will be your favourite animal?

Sun Bear

This is Sun Bear. Sun Bear is the smallest of the world’s eight bear species. As you can see in the picture, the bear is looking high up to the sky. Do you know sun bear is called basindo nan tenggil in Malay language, which means “he who likes to sit high?” That is cute.

Tapir

Spot the animal with black and white on its body? Tapir can be found in the zoo as you pass by Giraffe section. Tapir eats insects, fruit, berries and leaves.

It was a hot day, but we were lucky to spot Rhinoceros. There were more than five rhinos in there. You should see how Rhino eats grass. Their way of eating is slow and polite. That is good for digestion. Children, are you doing the same as them?

Zoo Negara covers not only Rhinos, Tapirs, Sun Bears. You can see giraffe, snakes, bees, penguins and many more. If you are afraid of certain animal like snakes, there is another place inside for you. In the Children’s world, you can spot rabbits and ponies!

You will definitely enjoy this place. There are ice creams and soft drinks in case you need refreshment.

For more information, please log on to http://www.zoonegara.org.my/index.htm

A Day Out with Your Favourite Animal Friends by Susanna Ng (DMC09)

Ever wished you got to see Pumba, Simba and Nala from the Lion King? Or wished you could meet Mumble and his friends from Happy Feet? At Zoo Negara, you get to meet some really cool friends in their own homes.

            Stepping into our National Zoo, you first get to meet the tall giraffes and the enormous elephants. In a nearby lake, milky storks stand tall and proud; and if you’re lucky, you’ll see them feasting on fishes!

           

            Around the corner, Sang Kancil and his friends are eager to say hi. Bambi and his friends are right next door, showing off their beautiful white spots to those who care enough to drop by and say hello.

            Simba and Nala sit proudly on Pride Rock not too far away. Here, you get to meet the stars of Lion King and their relatives, the leopard and the cheetah.

            In the same area, Pride Land, home of Simba and his friends, come to life. This is where you’ll find water buffalos, rhinoceros and zebras roaming around in a place similar to home.

            But that’s not all!

            Baloo from the Jungle Book, Gloria from Madagascar and the PB&J otter family are all excited to see you too! And although Tarzan is not around to greet you, relatives of the Mangani, the ape family who adopted him is most definitely happy to welcome a visitor.

            A day at the zoo is not complete without yummy ice cream on a cone. And just to remember the wonderful experience, don’t forget to bring home an inflatable giraffe or a toy tiger.

             So what are you waiting for, kids? I know your friends at the zoo can’t wait to see you. Let’s visit them today!

LETS GO TO THE ZOO! by Sharmayne Cheng DMC 11

Dear children, have you been to the zoo? Well if you have not, let me bring you on a small tour here!

It was the perfect sunny day for a trip to the zoo. The moment I walked into the zoo, tall, long necked, brown spotted giraffes greeted me. They were just so relaxed, munching on plants and sweetly posing for our camera.

.

 

Giraffe / Zirafah

Then, as I walked on, I spotted the great and mighty lion. Ngauuuuuum! Can you hear them?? There was a pair of lion and lioness resting on the wooden plateau, basking under the sunlight with their golden fur looking oh-so-fierce! Honestly, I got a little scared looking at them! But fret not, we are separated from them by a large body of water so they will never get near to you.

Lion / Singa

As we walked along the tree laden walkway, we spotted a lumpy looking creature from far, hence we quickly rushed up to find out what it is! The lumpy creature turns out to be a brown camel! There were a few camels inside the fences, but this particular camel just stood out among the rest. He or she clearly looked like it’s enjoying itself!

Camel / Unta-unta

The zoo is a very big place, but don’t worry about getting tired walking. Because luckily, there are tram service provided for you children to hop on and be a lazy bump!

Signboard for tram pick up station.

As we moved into the bear section of the zoo, we saw different varieties of bear. There are Sun Bear, Brown Bear, Sloth Bear, and Asiatic Black Bear. They are located at the coolest part of the zoo because they just cannot stand heat. How precious are they!  

Asiatic Black Bear / Beruang Hitam Asia

 After taking a break and enjoying some cold and delicious ice cream from the ice cream booth, we carried on our animal tour.

The deer family was having lunch when we visit. You can see how they gather together and have a little feast on grass and shoots. They were really humble and did not fight over food like how some of us do!

 

 Deer / Rusa

Besides these animals, there are also reptiles, fishes, birds, and apes species at the zoo. They are all kept in safe cages and are safe to visit. If you want to find out how they look like, get mommy and daddy to bring you to the zoo soon! Log on to www.zoonegara.com to get more informations! 

Zoo Review (Kids Version)

Hello kids! Fancy spending a day at your local zoo?

At the kingdom of animals, you get to experience and see animals from all over the world!

Giraffes from Kenya, Africa. They are the tallest of all land animals!

Milky Stork at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Lake in Zoo Negara. At the open lake, you also get to see painted storks, ibises, egrets, swans, pelican and other species of birds! Catch their feeding time at 11am and 3pm where there birds will flock they way towards you!

Heard of the Malaysian folk story Sang Kancil? A species of deer, Kancils are herbivores where they feed on plants such as grass and leaves.

The fast and furious Leopard. They can run up to 58km per hour!

You can also get to pet and watch animals up close in the Children's Word! You have baby goats, porcupines, rabbits and more to keep you entertained.

Meet Hobbit and Wizard, ponies from the Children's World! Don't you love them already?

 Catfish at the Freshwater Aquaira! Aren't they HUGE?

Feeling excited? Zoo Negara has multi-animal showtime daily at 11am and 3pm! You get to watch exciting performances by sea lions, take pictures with birds and more!

Refreshments such as ice cream and snacks are available to food kiosk and cafes around Zoo Negara.

The entrance fee for kids below 12 years old with MyKid is RM9 which includes the insect zoo and butterfly park and RM6 for normal entrance to the zoo. Zoo Negara opens at 9am to 5pm daily.

For more information, visit Zoo Negara's official website at www.zoonegara.org.my or contact them at +603-41083422.