Last edited:
What do members look like?
- Thread starter nanoboy
- Start date
- Status
I think it is a tradition to use pseudonyms on internet forums and if you look at the list of Notable Members, which includes many of those who have been here longest, you will see only 2 complete names (Simon Hampel and DavidBrown) with 48 of us using pseudonyms of some sort or other. And of course we have no guarantee that these complete names are genuine 
I think it would be rather splendid if our Administrator was actually called Humphrey Murgatroyd 
We all recognise that people have a right to choose their own usernames, for good reasons or for no reason at all. The Forum's Rules guarantee and protect that right. Indeed if we all used real names, we might have clashes: Dr Jones might be lucky to have an uncommon first name, otherwise he might have had to follow Welsh tradition by becoming 'Jones the kestrel'.
However the internet is always changing and I take the point that I have no need to hide behind a small furry animal. Actually I have never hidden my real name, indeed I used to sign all my posts with my Christian name, but I gradually came to think of it as an affectation and stopped doing so. However I have just added a Profile Post with my real name to my Member's Page, anyone can see that now and so can find me on Facebook if they wish.
Alternatively you can read it here
I think it would be rather splendid if our Administrator was actually called Humphrey Murgatroyd We all recognise that people have a right to choose their own usernames, for good reasons or for no reason at all. The Forum's Rules guarantee and protect that right. Indeed if we all used real names, we might have clashes: Dr Jones might be lucky to have an uncommon first name, otherwise he might have had to follow Welsh tradition by becoming 'Jones the kestrel'.
However the internet is always changing and I take the point that I have no need to hide behind a small furry animal. Actually I have never hidden my real name, indeed I used to sign all my posts with my Christian name, but I gradually came to think of it as an affectation and stopped doing so. However I have just added a Profile Post with my real name to my Member's Page, anyone can see that now and so can find me on Facebook if they wish.
Alternatively you can read it here
Alan Hill
showing whether a person is a child is not a good idea, for reasons obvious if one thinks about it.
There is a specific policy against uploading photos showing people, especially children, but we take it on a case-by-case basis really. They can be reported if necessary.
there are any number of reasons why people don't want to use their real names.I am asking that too, why they are hidding behind imagined names. Maybe to protect from a shame from eventual lapsuses on Zoochator are keeping their privacy, and espacially in respect to future emplyoment.
First and foremost, Zoochat is a forum for zoo enthusiasts. There are current and former zookeepers, and also bona fide zoologists, on here - but the majority of members are simply people who like zoos. It is not a professional platform, so there is literally no need for anyone to give their real names.
In some cases there can be an issue of safety, especially for the younger members. And, as TLD alluded to earlier, the internet is full of whack-jobs who you really don't want knowing who you are if they establish a vendetta with your name on it. Especially if you have a distinctive name. You may be unconcerned with letting specific people know who you are, but equally you may not want to broadcast it to the world.
Then there's the issue of professions. Zoos are secretive organisations - they want publicity but only on their own terms. They want people to talk about them in social media, but only when it is along the lines of "ZOMG Baby meekats!!". They don't want people discussing details of their latest conservation success story in breeding hybrid giraffes or white tigers. So there may be members who work in zoos but, even if not speaking ill of any organisation, still need to maintain anonymity. Some members may desire to work in zoos in future. It is routine for employers to Google job applicants - a job at a zoo may not go your way if you have been discussing the irrationality of phasing out species X at zoo Y. Even if you are applying or work at a non-zoo job, you may not want co-workers or management reading what you post on a forum.
There's also the question of whether a "real name" is even real. Anyone can register as Carl Jones or Jack Sparrow. It doesn't mean they are "that" Carl Jones or Jack Sparrow.
I doubt most members on the forum (or even on most forums) actually have anything to hide when they are using a pseudonym - but they still like their own privacy.
I use a pseudonym and unfortunately it seems to have stuck, one member has my phone number saved as Laura Dave Brum. It's not actually my number so the girly name is my missus's name, not another nickname. Honest!
It also carries over to any zoo related get togethers because of my distinctive (annoying) accent!
And as mentioned by TLD you do get the occasional member who seems a bit mental, for example Animal Friendly, or you get a zoo professional who would likely ban members of this site for daring to have an opposing opinion like Yorik/David Gill.
It also carries over to any zoo related get togethers because of my distinctive (annoying) accent!
And as mentioned by TLD you do get the occasional member who seems a bit mental, for example Animal Friendly, or you get a zoo professional who would likely ban members of this site for daring to have an opposing opinion like Yorik/David Gill.
FunkyGibbon
Well-Known Member
Yes, you're right. That was somewhat stupid of me. I was thinking in terms of protecting non-predators from compromising situations rather than the more obvious downside.
which gets carried over, the "Laura" or the "Brum"?I use a pseudonym and unfortunately it seems to have stuck, one member has my phone number saved as Laura Dave Brum. It's not actually my number so the girly name is my missus's name, not another nickname. Honest!
It also carries over to any zoo related get togethers because of my distinctive (annoying) accent!
just on the UK forum alone, if people used their real names, you'd have @Dave1 and @Dave2 and @Dave3...
well clearly. The hammer guy - or whatever the auctioneer is called - would say "and Dave has won this bid" and five people would all cheer and stand up to go collect their guidebook.
The auctioneer was another zoochatter, one Tim Brown and my opposing bidder happened to be TLD so it could have been confusing!
just on the UK forum alone, if people used their real names, you'd have @Dave1 and @Dave2 and @Dave3...
Not forgetting @Dave4 of course
and if memory serves there is a fifth one too.So yeah, the UK forum has rather a lot of us......
I was the one who could stand up straight by that point in the evening and who wasn't slurring my words
that's what the three dots after my sentence were for...Not forgetting @Dave4 of course
So yeah, the UK forum has rather a lot of us......
enough with the slursTeaLovingDave said:I was the one who could stand up straight by that point in the evening and who wasn't slurring my words
@TeaLovingDave I was fine by the auction as I copied Kifaru Bwana and had a power nap during Sheridan's talk...
@TeaLovingDave I was fine by the auction as I copied Kifaru Bwana and had a power nap during Sheridan's talk...
Funnily enough, I stumbled across a Sidney Harris cartoon the other day which immediately made me think of Anthony Sheridan.
And then a miracle occurs.
Exactly. Children are vulnerable and therefore they are often educated (at least twice a year) to hide details about themselves. They are discouraged to post public pictures of themselves and even to reveal their full name as well as to keep a low profile. This is the case for many zoochatters.
Having said that, I would not feel that uncomfortable sharing who I am with some zoochatters (my digital footprint is not that great anyway), however there are 9,500+ members, and every other non-member that views these threads, that I would not want to share my identity with.
Last edited:
you will see only 2 complete names (Simon Hampel and DavidBrown) with 48 of us using pseudonyms of some sort or other. And of course we have no guarantee that these complete names are genuine
I haven't been on the forum regularly in a long time, so pardon me if I'm wrong, but isn't David Brown somewhat of a distinguished biologist? I seem to remember him having an affinity for giraffes, and recently I was reading an article about giraffe genetics and got very excited when I saw "his" name in there. Obviously David Brown is a fairly common name, so it's entirely possible that it isn't him and that I'm making quite the assumption, but...
There's also a very good chance you're being sarcastic when you say "we have no guarantee that these complete names are genuine" and I simply didn't pick up on it.
I think the wink might have given that awayThere's also a very good chance you're being sarcastic when you say "we have no guarantee that these complete names are genuine" and I simply didn't pick up on it.
- Status