In the visitors’ cafe of Edinburgh Zoo, inquisitive Henrietta

The pregnant hamster nibbled nervously on a niblet of

Salad-leftover sweetcorn; relieved Chinese duck Frank Mc

‘Where’s the birds?’ was confined to the ornamental pond

By virtue of being flightless. – His womanising ways were the

Talk of the zoo. – A cacophony of Emperor butterflies – ‘Oxford

Blues’ – settled on a eucalyptus tree plotting their future in

Conservative politics, big business, merchant banking. The

Pentonville Four lemurs, on transfer release from London, play-acted

Around in the bush in the safari area, trying unsuccessfully to

Get that monkey off their back. Meanwhile, Vulcan V-wing, the

Dive-bombing vampire bat swooped and plunged menacingly

In the unusually Mediterranean blue sky; over the heads of the

Gregarious best pals Lord Snooty the Siamese cat and his white

Mouse, faithful companion Mickey – who was taking a piggy-back

Ride to the Shangri-La animal pampering zone.