ANIMAL MAGIC AT THE ZOO

One of the good things about being a parent is that you can amuse yourself shamelessly in the guise of entertaining your child. Gary Flockhart takes his baby son Zack on a trip to Edinburgh Zoo.

At the zoo everyone has their own peculiar favourite. That's what makes it so special. From the monkeys on climbing frames swinging, to the penguin parade, to the kangaroos grass-hopping along, the young and old fall in love with the animals - and there's always something new to discover.

After all, where else can you see - from close proximity - an elephant scratch its back or look on with glee as tiny tiger cubs wrestle playfully in the sunshine? Edinburgh Zoo is Scotland's biggest and most popular wildlife attraction.

It's not hard to see why. Set in 80 acres of beautiful hillside parkland, the Zoo is, somewhat surprisingly, just minutes from the mayhem of Edinburgh's hectic city centre. It has more than 1,500 animals - which is by far the largest collection in Scotland - and opens it doors to the public 365 days of the year.

Edinburgh Zoo opened in 1913, and nearly a century later it's recognised as one of the world's leading zoological parks. There is a famous, and extremely popular, colony of penguins - gentoos, kings, macaronis and rockhoppers - which is the largest anywhere in Europe.

Their home is also the largest penguin enclosure to be found anywhere in the world. A suspension bridge gives visitors a superb aerial view of the penguin pool, while glass panels in the side of the pool allow a superb underwater view. Each afternoon during summer the ever-popular penguins strut their stuff outside their enclosure, mixing and mingling with their fans.

Three tiny tiger cubs - born in February - are among Edinburgh Zoo's undeniable attractions. To watch them playfully wrestle with one another in full view of their adoring guests is worth the entrance fee alone. Returning in the not-too-distant future to gauge their progress is something you won't want to miss out on.

It'll also gives the perfect excuse to come back. You see, when you become a regular visitor to the zoo you not only get to see your favourite animals close-up, but you get to see each one develop its own personality and individual characteristics.

The Reptile House - if you're brave enough to venture there - offers visitors the chance to view some of the closest remaining creatures to dinosaurs on the planet. There are lizards, crocodiles, snakes and turtles. If you ask a volunteer nicely they'll tell you all you need to know about these weird and wonderful creatures, but beware, as they may let you hold a snake.

The Snow Leopards are a must-see at Edinburgh Zoo. Like all 35 species of cat, it is strictly carnivorous, and a formidable hunter. Its strong jaws, specialised teeth and sharp claws are a feature of this amazing beast. Along with the lion, tiger, jaguar and leopard, it is one of the 'big cats' on display.

The Snow Leopards at Edinburgh Zoo are part of a European captive breading programme to help save them from extinction. Sadly, their numbers in the wild are extremely low due to over-hunting for their beautiful fur coats - but Edinburgh Zoo has two adults, Czar and Misha, and their ever-so-cute two-year-old cubs.

A visit here is sure to be a fun-filled day out for the whole family. Daily events such as "Animal Feed Time" offer a great opportunity to find out more about the animals at the zoo. And the "Drive in Breakfast" is a great opportunity to see the warden feed the many animals in the main reserve.

Every day, from 1pm onwards (except Saturdays), visitors can assist the wardens as they feed the zoo's carnivores including wolves, lynx, otters, arctic fox and bear. Edinburgh Zoo is open every day, including Christmas and New Year's Day, from 9am until 6pm (April to September) 9am until 5pm (October and March) and 9am until 4.30pm (November to February). For more information visit the Edinburgh Zoo website at: http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/

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