Animal Stereotypes That You Hate

[Simon Hampel]

Southern Cassowary and Emu: is one more dangerous than the other? Emus seem to get treated as more gentle or less dangerous than cassowaries, but is that accurate?

I've seen emus attack people wearing glasses (possibly a reaction to seeing their reflection?) - but it's more of a lunge with the beak rather than any attempt to kick or use their legs.

I've also never seen any emu actually hurt someone - although I've no doubt it happens.

Emus are often allowed to roam free around a zoo or at least in a walk-through enclosure, while zoo staff would never allow the general public into a cassowary enclosure. I don't think that would be as a result of stereotypes - I have no doubt that zoo staff will have seen how aggressive a cassowary can be at times.

In my experience of emus (both in captivity and in the wild), I would generally consider them to be low risk.

 

[Jambo]

Emus are often allowed to roam free around a zoo or at least in a walk-through enclosure, while zoo staff would never allow the general public into a cassowary enclosure. I don't think that would be as a result of stereotypes - I have no doubt that zoo staff will have seen how aggressive a cassowary can be at times.

Emus can actually be inquisitive, and at one point, Melbourne zoo's girls would actually follow visitors around the whole walkthrough, which in turn would terrify some. I've also seen people actually go up and 'pat' Emus before; with the Emus just plainly ignoring them. They're actually a very docile species; definitely on the lower end of the dangerous scale compared to Cassowary.

 

[Great Argus]

I have a hunch that ostriches (and to a lesser extent, emus) have killed/attacked more people in modern times than cassowaries have due to them being widely farmed.

Most likely, although you can prevent an ostrich kicking you if you know a couple moves. I've seen several videos of people safely escaping being kicked by angry ostriches, so they're not particularly dangerous if you keep your head and know what you're doing. I've seen a couple different ways to do it moreover. Not advocating messing around with an disgruntled seven-foot tall kick-boxing bird just because there's ways to be safe mind you.

There's similar tactics for emus should the situation require, anyone know if safety maneuvers have been tried on cassowaries in a pinch?

 

[Zoofan15]

I have a something to add about cassowaries:
Southern Cassowary and Emu: is one more dangerous than the other? Emus seem to get treated as more gentle or less dangerous than cassowaries, but is that accurate?

I’d definitely regard a Southern cassowary as more dangerous than an Emu. I’ve been to several zoos that keep Emu behind a single rail fence so that’s there’s a barrier between them and the visitors, but you can still have some degree of interaction. Every cassowary exhibit I’ve ever seen has a solid barrier and indeed some kick aggressively at that if you approach (especially males during nesting season).

Male Emu can be aggressive (especially if protecting chicks), but are nowhere near as lethal as the cassowary. I did find this video for your interest:

Note: a similar interaction with a cassowary would likely result in serious injury.

 

[Pleistocene891]

I can say that a certain part of Asia (India) is a whole lot more human settlement than nature of any sort.

A couple of my examples:

Pit-bulls are “bad” dogs. They’re not, they are just prone to having issues if not cared for properly.

Rats and mice are disgusting and horrible vermin. Untrue, rats wash themselves more than people.

Rad and mice love cheese. It gives them diarrhea.

Lemmings commit suicide in large numbers. Despite the fact that I find some of these jokes funny, it is still a dumb stereotype.

It has been stated, but I would like tor either are the facts that venom and poison are NOT THE SAME. That one really gets me.

Genetics are a real thing. I really don't want to dive into the pitbull debate, but if you need to train a dog for it potentially not rip your face off, then it should be illegal to own it.

 

[Jambo]

Genetics are a real thing. I really don't want to dive into the pitbull debate, but if you need to train a dog for it potentially not rip your face off, then it should be illegal to own it.

Yeah, artificial selection. This has been done in the past for all domesticated dogs, leading to the rather docile, playful and friendly ones we have today, but of course has been used in a different manner when breeding Pitbulls (obviously choosing the most aggressive parents to have pups together).

 

[Bengal Tiger]

but if you need to train a dog for it potentially not rip your face off

Pitbulls don't usually just go attack people. Many dog breeds could be dangerous, that doesn't mean they should be illegal. I do agree that the whole thing of breeding dogs for aggressive tendencies is not a good thing, but with responsible care it could be reversed.

 

[Pleistocene891]

Pitbulls don't usually just go attack people. Many dog breeds could be dangerous, that doesn't mean they should be illegal. I do agree that the whole thing of breeding dogs for aggressive tendencies is not a good thing, but with responsible care it could be reversed.

But when they do, it's severe damage. Pit bulls also kill tons of pet dogs and cats. They attack anything as that was what they were bred for. And I feel like every pit bull story goes something like "he was the best boy who would never hurt a fly" and then something horrible happens. Many responsible owners have gotten seriously injured by pit bulls.

 

[Zoofan15]

Genetics are a real thing. I really don't want to dive into the pitbull debate, but if you need to train a dog for it potentially not rip your face off, then it should be illegal to own it.

New Zealand has banned the following dog breeds in New Zealand: : American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Brazilian Fila, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario.

It’s commonsense when you consider the amount of incidents involving these breeds - through a combination of their genetic disposition and irresponsible ownership.

 

[Jambo]

New Zealand has banned the following dog breeds in New Zealand: : American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Brazilian Fila, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario.

It’s commonsense when you consider the amount of incidents involving these breeds - through a combination of their genetic disposition and irresponsible ownership.

I mean, if they do have decent owners, then it'll be fine, but I find most owners of these breeds are irresponsible. I used to live near one that left his fence to his backyard open so his Pitbull could come in and out as it pleased. Very irresponsible especially considering the neighbourhood had children running around it every weekend.

 

[Great Argus]

Pitbulls don't usually just go attack people. Many dog breeds could be dangerous, that doesn't mean they should be illegal.

This is very true and applies to a fair few other breeds as well. I know a couple people who have pitbulls that are quite gentle and have lived alongside quite young kids without incident. In many cases it comes down to how you handle the dog, a lot of cases of aggression are people not understanding how to properly work with a more aggressive breed. That said there are a number of breeds that are definitely only for those who know what they're doing or for use in certain situations. Look at Anatolians and other livestock dogs, they're supposed to be aggressive to defend against predators. German Shepherds can be great companions but they're also common police dogs. Common sense also plays a large part - I have no problem with approaching a variety of dog breeds so long as they're clearly friendly and well behaved, but others I am extremely mindful. I've been around on duty Anatolians and I keep myself safely on the opposite side of the fence.

Long and short - very few breeds are truly mean, but temperament and common sense should be considered with working with some of them. Don't be scared but don't be dumb either.

 

[Zoofan15]

I mean, if they do have decent owners, then it'll be fine, but I find most owners of these breeds are irresponsible. I used to live near one that left his fence to his backyard open so his Pitbull could come in and out as it pleased. Very irresponsible especially considering the neighbourhood had children running around it every weekend.

The reputation of these dogs sadly attracts a significant number of people who want them for irresponsible purposes - the status symbol of having an aggressive dog, illegal dog fighting rings etc; as well as a percentage of people who own them and genuinely care about their pets.

Even those belonging to responsible pet owners have proved unpredictable. Children are commonly victims of dog attacks because they’re still learning behaviour etiquette around dogs. A pit bull that’s hit by a toddler is more likely to attack them in response than a golden retriever for example.

 

[birdsandbats]

Most likely, although you can prevent an ostrich kicking you if you know a couple moves. I've seen several videos of people safely escaping being kicked by angry ostriches, so they're not particularly dangerous if you keep your head and know what you're doing. I've seen a couple different ways to do it moreover. Not advocating messing around with an disgruntled seven-foot tall kick-boxing bird just because there's ways to be safe mind you.

There's similar tactics for emus should the situation require, anyone know if safety maneuvers have been tried on cassowaries in a pinch?

Here's how to stay safe when encountering an ostrich :

3 Ways to Survive an Ostrich Encounter or Attack - wikiHow

 

[dillotest0]

The graphics on the article are quite something in and of themselves ...

 

[Birdsage]

Not so much in cartoons, but I've seen both male and female lions being shown as having manes. I recall two specific instances of this. One was in a mobile game I used to play a long time ago called Zoo Story in which you'd start with a male lion and you'd have the option to acquire a female for breeding. The "female" in question was the exact same model as the male. I haven't played in years so I have no idea if this is still the case or not. I also recall my younger cousin's Noah's Arc set including two lions, both with manes, when of course the point of the story is that Noah gathered a male and female of every species. I guess its not completely inaccurate because there have been occurrences of maned lionesses but it still comes off as lazy and I might even go as far to say that the fact both these occurrences were in things aimed at children make it irresponsible since it promotes misinformation. Maybe that last part is an overreaction, but it is at the very least lazy.

There was an anthropomorphic female lion with a mane in one episode of Elinor Wonders Why. That’s right, an educational, science-focused children’s show.

 

[Birdsage]

There is a book on negative animal stereotypes called The Not Bad Animals.
It is geared towards children, but it is very comprehensive, and may be of interest.
The following animals are listed:
spiders, black cats, bats, sharks, hyenas, skunks, vultures, rats, wasps, snakes, wolves, ants, mice, moths, foxes, toads, cattle, weasels, crocodilians, pigeons, camels, scorpions, corvids, orcas, jellyfish, dung beetles, centipedes, slugs, anglerfish, opossums, pit bulls, earthworms, Komodo dragons, pigs, squids, gulls, and Tasmanian devils.

 

[Birdsage]

John Jackson (best known as the former Zoo Tycoon 2 designer Whalebite) has started a series on animal misconceptions (using his own footage from Costa Rica and the Amazon) on his YouTube channel, Ecotasia.
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYx5OP7sbAZCk1wInAzWXssrMaHdn3XJE
It has three videos so far: one on bats, one on army ants, and one on bullet ants.

 

[Corangurilla]

There is a book on negative animal stereotypes called The Not Bad Animals.
It is geared towards children, but it is very comprehensive, and may be of interest.

Hey, I have that book! It covers a whopping 40 animals, some of which I didn’t even know had bad reputations (looking at you, camel). Each animal is covered in two different two-page spreads: the first depicts the negative stereotypes, often showing the animals with blood-red eyes and prominent teeth if applicable, while text bubbles have the animals talk up their "badness". The second debunks the stereotypes, and the animals look much more “cutesy”, with goo-goo eyes and smiles, and the text bubbles have the animals describe themselves as "cool" or "cute."
It’s a pretty good book for what it is, but I think some of the “good” animals look kind of silly with goo-goo eyes. The crocodile and especially the bull look like a pair of right derps! Also, I don't know how I feel about having to sugarcoat these animals to make people warm up to them.
If I were to make a book like this one (and I plan on doing so someday), I’d make it so that the "not bad" versions of the animals are more or less realistic illustrations, while the "negative stereotypes" play up the scary/monstrous/ugly/gross/creepy aspects to the max! I think this approach would be more fun, and it would also make the realistic versions of the animals the good ones without sugarcoating them.
A couple ideas I have for "negative stereotypes" of animals that were not featured in The Not Bad Animals include a perpetually angry, armored juggernaut of a rhinoceros, complete with steaming nostrils and a cross-popped vein; a constantly-sparking, saltwater electric eel with a psychotic, toothy grin; and a bipedal, kaiju-esque Gila Monster that constantly drools venom.

 

[DaLilFishie]

some of which I didn’t even know had bad reputations (looking at you, camel)

Yeah, I didn't know some of those animals had bad reputations either, particularly the squid, orca, cattle and dung beetles.

 

[Corangurilla]

Yeah, I didn't know some of those animals had bad reputations either, particularly the squid, orca, cattle and dung beetles.

The “cattle” are bulls specifically, which are infamous for their rage at the color red (the book also highlights their… farts for whatever reason).
Squid I can understand, because of all the myths and stuff about giant squids attacking ships.
Orcas are addressed as “killer whales” in their bad spread before being called orcas in the good spread (the word “bully” shows up a lot in their bad spread).
Dung beetles eat poop. Their bad spread makes that fact known.
As for camels, their bad spread depicts them as grumpy, smelly, and rude.