Here, you’ll find herbivorous hoofstock like zebras and giraffes flanked by their natural predators, the lions and cheetahs. A whiff of the white rhinos’ communal dung piles welcomes you and you might feel the hair on the back of your neck rise when you realise you’re being watched by our pack of painted dogs.

The newly-enhanced African painted dog exhibit boasts a special feature – a designated area where you can watch the keepers perform daily conditioning of the painted dogs for routine checks. Training activities of such nature were previously done only in back-of-house areas. By providing the opportunity to witness these up-close and to interact with the keepers, we hope guests will gain a deeper understanding of the painted dogs and how they are cared for at the Zoo.

Our African painted dogs time-share their exhibit space with Deka, the cheetah cub. Rejected by her mother, Deka was hand-raised by her keepers. When it’s Deka’s day out, you can watch our keepers’ training session with her.

If the animals approach the glass panels at the observation huts, you’ll be able to get a close-up view of the ‘painted’ patterns of the dogs’ coats, or the black ‘tear lines’ of the cheetahs, which are thought to work like sunshades.

While you’re at the cheetah observation hut, take a breather and enjoy a brief respite from the heat. An array of African artifacts are on display, as well as a variety of animal specimens. On weekends, our friendly docents are around to share nuggets of information on African wildlife with you. They will be more than happy to take you on a short tour around the area. Seize the chance to gain a more in-depth experience of Africa and its wondrous nature heritage!