Lions and tigers and bears...and spitting cobras!

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After spending 8 weeks together, I said goodbye to Mike and Laetitia at the airport in Jakarta as I was heading to Singapore for another 2 weeks while they were heading to Bangkok and then home. I can't believe our Global Vets adventures are over. It's definitely been a summer of great memories!

Of course, now I'm in Singapore and here I met up with family, friends, and volunteering at the Singapore Zoo. Staying with family has been a fabulous change and having my own room and bathroom...and an actual shower instead of a bucket...let's just say it's a like a little piece of heaven! Singapore is like none of the other countries I've been to on this trip because it's fully developed and reminds me a lot of home...like an all Asian version of Canada. Well, I guess with the exception of the tropical weather. But lots of the same stores (what?!?!?! There's a Ben and Jerry's at the zoo!!!) and of course the prices to match.

As for the zoo...WOW! The days are long, 9-6:30 plus a 1.5 hour commute, but the work is cool. It's not everyday you get to handfeed lemurs and slow loris, give injections to hyenas, snakes (freaking huge pythons at 40+ kg), babirusa, lechwe, and turtles or restrain sea otters (vicious little things), crocodiles and lemurs. Then of course getting up close to lions (only a foot away, scary), zebras (knocked out with M99...a dangerous drug for humans that is really good for wildlife), anteaters, tapirs...I guess I could go on and on! Don't worry, it's not all glamorous. You definitely need to shower before leaving for the day as it's a dirty job, and the heat and mosquitoes don't make for a pretty sight.

The zoo itself is set in probably the last of the natural space in Singapore and is beautiful and idyllic. There's the reservoir and the jungle everywhere...which also means other wildlife roaming around. A good example: snakes! One of the staff, Feza, and I were supposed to be feeding some macaques. There are lots of gates and fences and fenced rooms (e.g. the kitchen areas) and as we approached the kitchen area, I see something black and moving between the wall of the counter and the fence by the door...

Me: "Hey, is that some sort of squirrel?"
- Feza walks through door into the kitchen area
Feza: "Umm, I think it's a spitting cobra!"
- HISSING as I walk through the door, I see a black cobra with its hood open facing me, and then as I hop through the door something moving behind me...
Me: "Oh my God, move, move!"
- I push Feza, who is about 4'10" and weighs like 90 lbs, towards the other exit

Right, so the SMART thing to do with snakes is NOT RUN. Check. The best part about this, the thing moving behind me was actually a large frog hopping by and not the cobra chasing me. Check.

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Photos

You know it's hot when...
they have to have air conditioned rest stations!

Mufasa
One of the males we had to check out for face wounds. Ummm, yeah, it's scary being one foot away from lions. I don't care that there's a fence between us. When they roar at you, it's freakin scary!

Thank goodness for air conditioning!
One of the two polar bears in the Singapore Zoo. Their enclosure is air conditioned and interestingly enough, a review was done very recently on whether these animals should be kept at the zoo. This one, Inuka, was actually born here and it was deemed appropriate that he stay.

Poor little lemur
This little one was biting at its tail and had to have part of it amputated.

Flat out
A new animal to the zoo, a purple-faced langur, is getting a check-up including x-rays. Don't worry, it's not dead, just anesthetized so it wouldn't eat anyone.

No messin around
Some of the zebras were being moved and M99 is the choice sedative. This stuff is amazing for many wild animals because a reversal agent can be administered so there is barely any after affect. Only problem: it's LETHAL to humans at very low doses. Thus the cardiopulmonary resuscitation kit (for both the animal or a person!).

Zebra out
While the zebra is knocked out, the vets take advantage of this to take some routine blood samples and give anti parasitic meds.

Snakes anyone?
I got to get up close and personal with a heap of reticulated pythons. Any wild caught snakes in Singapore get brought to the zoo where they get a check up (blood, fluids, measurements) and a microchip before being released. Thank goodness we anesthetized the bigger ones before working on them!

Vicious little 'spider' otter
Okay, I admit this picture isn't that clear but if you look carefully you can see a little otter in the top corner of it's enclosure. Who knew these little guys were such good climbers! All we wanted to do was to check for a microchip but this guy had a mind of his own!

Komodo acupuncture
Dr. Oh Soon Hock, one of the vets who specializes in acupuncture, does his work on a Komodo dragon.

Anteater ultrasound
Thank goodness for food distractions. Dr. Sonja Luz was able to check the progress of this anteater's pregnancy while she mowed down some boiled eggs.

Unhappy macaque
Hmm, someone doesn't look impressed about being photographed (geez, I even asked first!)

Let me out!
A hatching Burmese turtle.

Crocodile on the move
Probably one of the coolest things about working behind the scenes at the zoo is trucking around animals in front of unsuspecting patrons.

The cutest animal around!
Someone donated their slow loris, a small primate, to the zoo. Nicknamed Teddy Bear (hullo, just look at it's face!) and generally approachable, the owner chose to give him up because as these animals become sexually mature, they can get very vicious.