Forest of Wonder

The Asian Small-clawed Otter is the smallest species of otter in the world. But that doesn’t stop them eating a third of their body weight in a day! They are semi-aquatic, enjoying time diving in the water as well as frolicking around the exhibit and a cheeky afternoon nap.

The Butterfly House features more than 600 butterflies from about 13 different tropical species, and is warmed to a steady temperature of around 27°C degrees year-round, providing tropical butterflies with the humidity they need to be able to flourish.

In their rainforest home in Sumatra, Indonesia, orangutans rarely come down from the trees. These largely solitary great apes are critically endangered and their habitat is fast disappearing due to unsustainable palm oil products. Zoos around the world, including ours, are working to fight their extinction by campaigning for palm oil to be labelled on products. You can meet our little family at eye level in their carefully designed sanctuary.

Siamangs are the largest of the gibbon species. They are native to Southeast Asia, living in evergreen tropical rainforests. Siamang pairs form lasting bonds. They get around using an arm-swinging technique called brachiation. They're amazing singers—each pair has a unique song that they use for marking territory. You can see our Siamang family in the Japanese Garden.