Having recently canoed into a bat cave in Pang Nga Bay, Thailand, I was not eager to get another whiff of bat guano for the second time in a week. However, if you relish the idea of dark creatures swooping past your head, the Mangrove Walk is your chance to see the Malayan flying fox and the Egyptian fruit bat. The fruit bats reportedly have excellent sight and a keen sense of smell, so there's little chance that they will flutter into your face. However, you are also advised to remain quiet and not to duck when a bat flies toward you, as quick movements would only confuse it. Also new to the Night Safari are tarsiers, pythons, and spotted hyenas.
Tarsiers look like tiny monkeys with huge eyes and ears.
These cuddly critters from Sulawesi, Indonesia, leap from tree to tree at lightning speed as you pass by. We saw some of the 20 pythons, which happily are kept behind glass. One appeared to be digesting something rather large for its figure. A subtle lighting technique allows visitors to view over 1,000 nocturnal animals of 100 species in natural-looking habitats set in a dense tropical jungle. The lighting is very dim, similar to a nightlight in a child's room.