Soak up air circulating in strange animal enclosure (9)

I believe the answer is:

terrarium

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'animal enclosure' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.

'soak up air circulating in strange' is the wordplay.
'soak' becomes 'ret' (ret can mean to soak in water).
'up' is a reversal indicator (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'circulating' indicates an anagram.
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'strange' becomes 'rum' (synonyms).
'ret' backwards is 'ter'.
'air' is an anagram of 'ari'.
'ari' inserted into 'rum' is 'rarium'.
'ter'+'rarium'='TERRARIUM'

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I've seen this clue in The Times.

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