Parenting: Get close to meerkats, marmosets and real-life dragons at this hands-on zoo, where you can feed the animals

WE ARE crazy about furry critters in our house. We all happily tune into Zoo Days, Roar and Steve Backshall’s Deadly 60 for our televisual dose of animal magic.

But the opportunity to get up close and personal with ring-tailed lemurs at Five Sisters Zoo in West Lothian is impossible to resist. Owned by animal fanatics Brian and Shirley Curran, it has slowly evolved from a garden centre into a zoo, which is now home to more than 100 species. Accompanying me for this visit were my two daughters Eve and Hope and along for the ride was Hope’s chum Holly.

First we headed to the Leaping Lemurs Play Area, where the girls’raced around and explored the attractions, including a pirate galleon, complete with rigging and planks.

Next we tried to see as many of the animals as possible, including the giant rabbits beside the ticket kiosk. They looked incredibly cute, as they lolloped around nibbling happily. Once inside proper we spent ages visiting all the enclosures; Holly’s favourites were the snowy owls, Eve fell for the Fennec fox, while I adored the porcupine. We all loved the cheery meerkat family, and enjoyed seeing the tiny marmosets.

Five Sisters is a non-profit making organisation, so all funds find their way back to the zoo to help with the animals’’upkeep, vet bills and the maintenance of the enclosures.

During the animal handling session, we were introduced to a giant African land snail, a snake and a bearded dragon lizard. Everyone was brave enough to hold them and it was really good fun. Next up was the nocturnal section where we spent ages peering though the glass at frogs, insects, snakes and dragons.

However, the highlight of our visit was feeding the lemurs inside their enclosure. Closely supervised by the keeper at all times, the lemurs helped themselves to fruit straight from the girls’’hands. The lemurs have the most exquisite paws and the softest fur; it’s safe to say that this is an experience we won’t forget in a hurry.

Five Sisters Zoo, Gavieside, West Calder. Zoo entry: £5 for children, £7 for adults and £5.50 for concessions. An autumn offer allows unlimited time in the play areas for £2 (normally £5). Daily handling sessions cost an additional £1pp and feeding the lemurs costs £5pp, www.fivesisterszoo.co.uk; www.visitwestlothian.co.uk