A visit to the zoo
While the crowds are back, Zoo Negara shows the wear and tear from the years as well as the pandemic.
Photographs by Djohan Shahrin
The main entrance of Zoo Negara, where more than 5,100 animals are kept on grounds measuring some 110 acres.
Visitors stroll along a path surrounded by greenery. Opened in 1963, nearly 60 years ago, the zoo, a non-governmental body owned by Zoological Society of Malaysia, relies on the public and corporate funding to meet its operating expenses.
A handful of visitors examine the animal exhibits at the Amphibians Gallery.
A frog peers back at the visitors through the scuffed glass of its aquarium.
Nearby, African Cockroaches scurry about their glass enclosure which still bears the soap stains of its last wipe.
A man looks at display units, some of which are empty.
Other enclosures bear signs that read 'Coming Soon'.
Out in the open, a Red-Eyed Pearl Bird feasts on a bunch of red berries on a tree.
Visitors take pictures of herons as their bus goes by a pond.
Milky storks squabble over a fish in their enclosure.
Another soars low over a pond, looking for its next meal.
Families smile and laugh as they walk past the giraffe enclosure.
A young boy holds an umbrella over his head as he walks with his mother and siblings.
Children crane for a better look at the emus, large flightless birds that resemble the ostrich.
Families wander about near the Savannah section of the zoo.
Others stop for a bite at the A&W restaurant.
The snacks kiosks are also a popular stop, although only the most basic of snacks are sold here, such as popcorn, cup noodles and nuggets.
Outside in the sun, the giraffes tower over the visitors outside their pen.
The tall herbivores are a hit with many of the young children.
The giant tortoises, while slow, are also popular with the visitors.
In the cool dark of the reptile showroom, a woman pauses to look at a snake enclosure.
One of the snakes lifts its head as it slithers along the ground.
Families stop to look at a tortoise, making its slow way along a path supervised by a zoo worker.
A visitor reacts as a python curls around his neck and shoulders under the watchful eye of its trainer.
A crowd gathers to watch an aqua presentation under a huge open-air canopy.
Other visitors visit the aquarium where fish of all shapes and sizes swim about.
A young girl poses for a shot as a large fish swims by.
Subscribe to our newsletter
To be updated with all the latest news and analyses daily.
