Bob’s first stop was the proboscis monkey.

He was sitting alone on a branch at the back of his cage, ignoring the world.

“Hello!” called Bob.

The monkey didn’t turn round.

“HELLO!” Bob called, louder this time.

The animal hunched his back.

Bob sighed. Then he had an idea. The boy had a big nose. Not as big as the proboscis monkey’s – no one’s nose was as big as that – but Bob’s nose was still big.

So Bob started honking his hooter. He pressed his nose with his finger and made a loud hooting noise.

The boy could see the monkey beginning to stir.

Bob did it again.

The monkey looked quickly up over his shoulder.

The animal’s eyes shone. Slowly he lifted his head. The monkey’s outrageous nose dangled free for all to see.

The monkey pressed his own hooter.

The animal looked confused for a moment. Then he pressed his nose again.

The boy provided the sound effect again.

The third time the proboscis monkey pushed down on his hooter, he made the honking noise himself.

Then the most magical thing happened. The monkey actually laughed to himself.

HA! HA!

He pressed his nose again. And again.

Now the monkey didn’t seem shy about having a big nose. He was delighting in it. Instead of hiding it away, he was showing it off for the world to see. Finally the proboscis monkey looked proud to have the dangliest, dongliest nose in the whole of the zoo.

Though there was quite some competition from …

the aardvark …

the toucan …

and the anteater.

A crowd of visitors had previously been gathered around the cute chimpanzees, but now everyone was far more excited to see this funny little monkey with his honking hooter.

As the people were being wowed by this unexpected show, Winston huffed and puffed his way over. But before he had even arrived at the monkey’s cage, Bob had run off to find the next animal.

“Wait for me!” called the old zookeeper, hurrying after the boy.

The dugong was floating in her tank, grazing on some seagrass. On the other side of the glass was a group of schoolgirls laughing at the poor creature.

“She looks like a cow!” said one.

“A fat cow!” said another.

“An enormously fat cow!” added a third.

“Ha! Ha! Ha!” the girls all laughed. Oh, how hilarious they thought they were.

The dugong dived down under the water to blot out the sound of the girls’ mean mockery.

Bob had an idea: why not beat the girls at their own game? If they thought this animal looked like a cow, then why shouldn’t she act like a cow?

He pushed past the girls.

“Do you mind, you little squirt?” shouted one.

The boy ignored her and tapped on the glass to get the dugong’s attention. The animal looked the funny-faced boy straight in the eye. But when Bob pointed upwards, gesturing for the dugong to surface, she shook her head. Bob wouldn’t give up. He smiled at her, and put his hands together to plead. Finally, the dugong breathed out through her snout as if she was sighing, and came to the surface.

Bob climbed up on to a bench so he could look over the tank. The schoolgirls stared at this funny-faced little boy.

“What on earth is that revolting child doing now?” asked one.

mooed the boy.

The animal regarded the boy with a look of puzzlement on her blubbery face.

mooed Bob again.

The boy then nodded to the dugong that it was her turn. But she remained silent.

mooed the boy, louder this time.

Eventually the dugong mooed back.

It was a muffled, watery moo, but a moo nonetheless.

mooed the boy back, as loud as he could.

mooed the dugong. Now she was playing up to her “sea cow” nickname. The schoolgirls who had been cruelly laughing before were now cheering with delight.

“This is so jokes!” remarked one.

Amazingly the animal seemed to smile, and mooed again.

The sound was so loud it echoed all over the zoo. The penguins next door covered their ears with their little wings.

Now the schoolgirls were applauding.

Just then, Winston caught up at last, chuckling with delight at the mooing sea cow. “Well done, boy!” he said, looking around for Bob. But Bob had already dashed off …

“WAIT FOR ME!” called out the zookeeper.