Page 55

Finally it was their turn and Tom quietly paid a shilling for both of them. He was so different to Jimmy, not needing to be showy. The metal bars twisted with a creak to let them through, and the man at the gate offered some tips as he handed back the entrance tickets.

‘I’m sure you’ll find your way around, but most people want to see Newsboy, so if you follow the path to the left, you’ll pass the wallabies first, before you round a bend and Newsboy is on your left. Opposite him are the alligators and then you can walk on that same path towards Lillian, although she’s giving rides today.’ He smiled at them.

‘And the monkeys?’ Fleur asked, helplessly excited. As if they’d heard her, a sudden caterwaul began and everyone queueing behind them laughed.

‘Follow the noise,’ the ticket-seller suggested, joining the laughter. ‘They’re just warming up. The monkey enclosure is right in the middle – all paths lead into the centre, so you can do a big circle and then take any one of the paths to the monkey house and the kiosk, if you feel like some refreshment.’

Fleur and Tom thanked the man and moved together into the zoo, where it felt suddenly cooler for all the greenery that lined the pathway.

‘So why is everyone so excited about Newsboy?’ Tom asked, a light-hearted tone of bewilderment in his voice.

‘Tom! You don’t know about Newsboy?’ she asked, incredulous, watching him shake his head without shame. ‘Well, there is a story to it. Our hippo called Daniel sadly died after someone threw a ball into his enclosure and he swallowed it. It created a big stir and South Australians were collectively devastated. Anyway, a couple of years ago our afternoon paper – The News?’ She paused and he nodded to show he knew what she was referring to, so Fleur continued. ‘It made a public appeal, asking for donations for our zoo to have a new hippo. The newspaper kept the promotion going so long as we agreed to name the hippo what it wanted.’ She gave an enquiring smile.

‘Newsboy,’ Tom said on cue.

‘Exactly. So Newsboy eventually arrived from Auckland Zoo in 1934, courtesy of a big effort from so many people in this state, including schools and firms – it was brilliant, really. Appleby’s donated twice. There was a huge celebration when he got here, and the enclosure was covered in a special wire mesh to prevent anything being thrown in there.’

‘I’m impressed you know so much.’

‘I’m a member of the South Australian Zoological and Acclimatisation Society.’

He smiled. ‘That’s a mouthful.’

She gave a shrug. ‘I do love animals.’

‘And the dead.’

Fleur smiled in agreement. ‘Neither bring anything but privilege into my life.’

‘How do you feel, though, about these amazing creatures from all over the world being caged like they are? You don’t think they should be left to roam free?’

‘Not in Adelaide, no,’ she said dryly but quickly addressed the gravity of his question. ‘Tom, I agree, this isn’t ideal to have a city growing up around a compound of caged creatures, but it’s their very exoticness that makes them special for city folk to see.’

He shrugged, clearly opposed to it. ‘It’s a tricky one. I’m as thrilled as the next person to see a lion or a polar bear, but it’s not natural, is it?’

‘Neither are sheep in Australia, but the First Fleet didn’t seem to care about them not belonging.’

‘Fair enough, but the sheep clothe us, feed us, make money for us. These animals are for our entertainment and that feels cruel.’

Fleur nodded. ‘They are, but a lot of good research is done at this zoo, which they exchange with others around the world. Imagine, for instance, a world without lions, or giraffes, or monkeys.’

‘I’ve never seen any.’

‘But you want to.’

‘I do. So, I’m a hypocrite, I suppose?’

‘Not at all. You work with animals, you take care of them. That’s what every zookeeper will say to you here – that they put the animals first. I’d rather be one of the people that campaigns for better facilities, more research, more suitable conditions. The zoo is an educational establishment as much as a pleasure park. All these people today will hopefully leave with a fresh appreciation for the creatures of the world, so when donations are needed or campaigns for new enclosures and so on are launched, they’ll support them.’ She raised a hand. ‘Anyway, enough philosophy. Let’s enjoy looking at these beautiful creatures.’

She knew Tom was about to agree when he halted, staring in wonder as an enormous grey-brown animal emerged from a hut inside the enclosure to their left. Children began to wave and call out his name as the crowd, including Tom and Fleur, hurried forward. A keeper dressed in sandy-coloured shorts and a matching shirt lifted a pail of water from the pool that Newsboy was wading through and poured it over the head of the giant, almost prehistoric-looking animal.

To shrieks of delight from the onlookers, Newsboy opened his jaws wide and the water tumbled into his gaping, cavernous mouth. Tusk-like teeth stood like sentinels at either side of his large pink tongue.

Tom laughed. ‘He’s brilliant. Do you know what the word hippopotamus means?’

‘Oh, Tom, are you going to impress me?’

He laughed again. ‘Perhaps.’