Things people do that irritate you when you go to the zoo?

[Pootle]

Visiting the zoo on Friday the following occured.
Mothers and their precious ones.
Trying to view the Lions 'mothers were all blocking the way not observing the animals mind just chatting about their previous evening exploits whilst their 'precious ones' were running around screaming at the top of their lungs also not looking at the animals , I said ' my goodness I need some cotton wool for my ears' Precious mother on hearing this said' how dare you say that to my children ' My reply 'how about some respect'
precious mummy reply .'it is half term you know I suppose you would complain if the animals make a noise!' I should be so lucky.!
Note;The precious ones were about 2 years old hardly school age.......
(THIS COULD BE HAPPENING AT A ZOO NEAR YOU)

Whilst we must not tar all with the same brush as doing so would be lowering ones self to a level similar to the offenders. However it has become evident to me in UK society (not just zoos) that many a mother who wears pyjamas in the local shops, has earrings the size racing bike wheels, pushes a buggy (stroller for our US friends) with *** (cigarette for our US friends ) in one hand, wears orange make up and quite often clothes a size too small and a shade too bright. These are some of the give away characteristics of the mothers of the young screaming almost uncontrollable 2 to 5 year olds who annoy us such at zoos. Maybe they could learn some parenting tips by watching some of the animals......

 

[zooman64]

I'm annoyed by all the above. But what also gets my goat is when people hardly bother to look at the animals. This is particularly true with aviaries and reptile vivaria. I see people just wander past enclosures, giving the occupants barely a momentary glance. "Oh look, kids," parents'll say to their children, "it's an owl [or whatever]." And then they move straight on to see what's in the next enclosure.
I'm also very annoyed by children that just want to spend all their time in the gift shop or on the play equipment. It makes me wonder why they were taken to a zoo in the first place when they could have been taken to the (free) public park if all they wanted to do was lark around on the adventure playground. Remove playgrounds from zoos, I say!

 

[Javan Rhino]

I'm annoyed by all the above. But what also gets my goat is when people hardly bother to look at the animals. This is particularly true with aviaries and reptile vivaria. I see people just wander past enclosures, giving the occupants barely a momentary glance. "Oh look, kids," parents'll say to their children, "it's an owl [or whatever]." And then they move straight on to see what's in the next enclosure.
I'm also very annoyed by children that just want to spend all their time in the gift shop or on the play equipment. It makes me wonder why they were taken to a zoo in the first place when they could have been taken to the (free) public park if all they wanted to do was lark around on the adventure playground. Remove playgrounds from zoos, I say!

At Chester last Saturday in Islands in Danger [Iguana exhibits], and the kids were getting excited [maybe there was another Komodo dragon in there] - they first see the Mountain chickens [possibly following my camera lens] and then go on to complain saying 'all that space just for a little, tincy-wincy frog!' - then they see the Lesser Antillian iguana and are a LITTLE happier with it, saying 'oh, maybe the frogs are the lizard's dinner' - at that point we left.

Also, nowhere here did they turn around to see the big sign on the wall listing the 4 species in the enclosures.

Also, by the Giant otter underwater viewing, I was trying to photograph the female swimming around. Due to my camera lens I have to step back a little otherwise it's too close to focus. I'm obviously pointing the lens at the window, and obviously taking photos [can't they hear the clicking of a camera?], yet it didn't bother the children who were running back-and-forth, following the otter and having NO regard for the fact that they kept bobbing in and out of the frame

 

[Maguari]

Also, nowhere here did they turn around to see the big sign on the wall listing the 4 species in the enclosures.

In fairness, those signs are hardly in the most obvious spot.

 

[Javan Rhino]

In fairness, those signs are hardly in the most obvious spot.

Maybe it's not the most obvious spot, but it's easy to see as it's the only thing along that wall. I suppose if you don't look at the wall you wouldn't notice it, but it's hardly obscured to those who look around a little rather than just run riot and don't take any notice of anything

 

[grafxman]

I met a lady employee at the National Aviary that gave me what I thought was somewhat questionable information. I was photographing the spectacled owl display when she walked over and informed me those were the dumbest birds in the entire aviary! She said their brains are very tiny because their eyes are so big. Unlike other birds they are so stupid they can't even find their way back to the aviary if they escape.

It occurred to me that the only research regarding brain volume and intelligence I could recall was a study that showed parrots with brains the size of a peanut have the same intellectual capability of a 2 year old child with a brain that is heavier that the entire parrot. It also occurred to me that the seed and bug eating birds are dependent of humans for food, especially during the winter months. However, an owl can always find a mouse, rat, skunk, chipmunk, squirrel, etc. and thus doesn't really need people. Am I wrong to believe her information is suspect?

Flickr: grafxmangrafxman's Photostream

 

[OrangePerson]

Maybe it's not the most obvious spot, but it's easy to see as it's the only thing along that wall. I suppose if you don't look at the wall you wouldn't notice it, but it's hardly obscured to those who look around a little rather than just run riot and don't take any notice of anything

My friend & I just spent about 1/2 hr watching chimps and guessing who was who, retreating from the threat of having something thrown at us we realised that the only thing behind us in the whole field was a board telling us all about the chimps. Someone was running riot but it wasn't us!

 

[mazfc]

Someone was running riot but it wasn't us!

Running? Riot? Nope I definitely wasn't doing that!

I consider myself more of a hobbling nuisance, than a running rioter

 

[Chlidonias]

Another pet peeve: visitors who ask zoo employees questions specifically to test the keeper or to make them (the visitor) appear clever.

that is quite common, and its usually pretty obvious when someone's doing it (rather than someone asking obscure questions that they genuinely are interested in finding out the answers to). In one case I had, a teenager came into the Aquarium I worked at and proceeded to ask if we had a list of various fish, starting with Winteria of all things (that's a genus of abyssal barrel-eye fish). He was a bit taken aback that not only did I know all the fish he mentioned but I also told him why we didn't/couldn't have any of those species. Unfortunately for him, I had the same fish encyclopedia he had gathered the names from and had fortuitously been reading it just a few days before!

 

[Shorts]

Whilst we must not tar all with the same brush as doing so would be lowering ones self to a level similar to the offenders. However it has become evident to me in UK society (not just zoos) that many a mother who wears pyjamas in the local shops, has earrings the size racing bike wheels, pushes a buggy (stroller for our US friends) with *** (cigarette for our US friends ) in one hand, wears orange make up and quite often clothes a size too small and a shade too bright. These are some of the give away characteristics of the mothers of the young screaming almost uncontrollable 2 to 5 year olds who annoy us such at zoos. Maybe they could learn some parenting tips by watching some of the animals......

To be fair the "white trash" types (for want of a better term) don't have a monopoly on badly behaved children -I've seen a lot of over-indulged out of control middle class brats. Additionally, I've seen groups of school children from religious and other well-to-do schools acting really appallingly in zoos.

Finally, in fairness and balance, I've seen all the above types acting exemplary too.

 

[nanoboy]

that is quite common, and its usually pretty obvious when someone's doing it (rather than someone asking obscure questions that they genuinely are interested in finding out the answers to). In one case I had, a teenager came into the Aquarium I worked at and proceeded to ask if we had a list of various fish, starting with Winteria of all things (that's a genus of abyssal barrel-eye fish). He was a bit taken aback that not only did I know all the fish he mentioned but I also told him why we didn't/couldn't have any of those species. Unfortunately for him, I had the same fish encyclopedia he had gathered the names from and had fortuitously been reading it just a few days before!

Too funny.

That kind of behaviour is not limited to zoos, of course. I have experienced it on tours, in class, and at conferences. Most people just roll their eyes and think "what's this guy/gal trying to prove?" - as you said, it's fairly obvious when someone is trying to do it.

 

[kkkp]

Being a daily visitor to my local zoo, I think I can say with hand on heart that just when I think I have heard it all and seen it all another corker comes within reach of my ears and eyes,,so with that in mind I decided many months.nah......years ago I would take notes.to compile my own findings along with drawings of what can only be described as virtually impossible and to date I am on page 7 which is just on the GORILLAS............

Upon visiting my Dr yesterday to get the results of a 24hour blood pressure monitor test .he couldnt understand why my blood pressure was so high during the day and normal in the evening and night time I said easy .THE ZOO IS SHUT THEN.
I rest my case

 

[Moebelle]

I'm not a big fan of people always assuming that when they see three of the same unrelated species in one exhibit and that they are mother, father, and child.

 

[kkkp]

The sniggers and snorts coming from visitors to the spider monkeys is unbelevable there is not one visitor who does not assume that the two females are males and the rather tubby male is pregnant....
One only needs to read the notice.silly me........

 

[Javan Rhino]

The sniggers and snorts coming from visitors to the spider monkeys is unbelevable there is not one visitor who does not assume that the two females are males and the rather tubby male is pregnant....
One only needs to read the notice.silly me........

And the absolute chaviness of a group of young people shouting and laughing in disbelief at an animal either mating or passing waste, as if they're the only ones that do it.

Chester's male Indian rhino passed waste infront of a group of these ****** by the Asian Plains signage, and you could hear the group's education level from atop the Bats Bridge.

As you mention sniggers and snorts, another thing that can do this is an animal with a species name that has a 'rude' word in it, or a chimp that shares a name with one of their mates.

 

[grafxman]

And the absolute chaviness of a group of young people shouting and laughing in disbelief at an animal either mating or passing waste, as if they're the only ones that do it.

Chester's male Indian rhino passed waste infront of a group of these ****** by the Asian Plains signage, and you could hear the group's education level from atop the Bats Bridge.

As you mention sniggers and snorts, another thing that can do this is an animal with a species name that has a 'rude' word in it, or a chimp that shares a name with one of their mates.

While visiting the Toledo Zoo a large group of small children were being entertained by an underwater hippo. The parents were horrified at the screams of delight coming from the kids. "HE JUST POOPED!" one kid would shout and all the kids would scream in delight. "HE'S POOPING AGAIN AND UNDERWATER!" another kid would yell. All the parents were trying desperately to get the children off to the other exhibits. The kids were having none of it. One kid said he wanted to stay right there all day! I was laughing so hard I had trouble taking photos.

[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80431173@N00/4993278704/"]IMG_9727 -1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing![/ame]

 

[azcheetah2]

While visiting the Toledo Zoo a large group of small children were being entertained by an underwater hippo. The parents were horrified at the screams of delight coming from the kids. "HE JUST POOPED!" one kid would shout and all the kids would scream in delight. "HE'S POOPING AGAIN AND UNDERWATER!" another kid would yell. All the parents were trying desperately to get the children off to the other exhibits. The kids were having none of it. One kid said he wanted to stay right there all day! I was laughing so hard I had trouble taking photos.

IMG_9727 -1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I hear that a lot at the Wildlife World Zoo near Phoenix and a time or two in San Diego. You'd think they'd never seen an animal eliminate before, but it tickles the pieces out of them. "Oh my god, he just pooped!" they scream with glee, their little faces awash with delight.

 

[Maisie]

Now I almost feel bad for laughing hysterically at a camel letting out the most enormous noisy fart at Chester. I think it was the smug look on its face afterwards that did it

And the absolute chaviness of a group of young people shouting and laughing in disbelief at an animal either mating or passing waste, as if they're the only ones that do it.

Chester's male Indian rhino passed waste infront of a group of these ****** by the Asian Plains signage, and you could hear the group's education level from atop the Bats Bridge.

As you mention sniggers and snorts, another thing that can do this is an animal with a species name that has a 'rude' word in it, or a chimp that shares a name with one of their mates.

 

[OrangePerson]

Now I almost feel bad for laughing hysterically at a camel letting out the most enormous noisy fart at Chester. I think it was the smug look on its face afterwards that did it

I'm racking my brain for species with rude words in

For some reason I'm seeing passing 'waste' as cardboard boxes and yoghurt pots, I can't believe a Zoochatter is too delicate to be more specific (but maybe that's jut the nurse training)

 

[Javan Rhino]

I'm racking my brain for species with rude words in

For some reason I'm seeing passing 'waste' as cardboard boxes and yoghurt pots, I can't believe a Zoochatter is too delicate to be more specific (but maybe that's jut the nurse training)

Forum rules, don't think I can say taking a sh*t, that and I'm just too polite on here

As for species names, how about Cock-of-the-Rock, the various species of tit and sperm whale at a push...maybe....Sure there are more but can't think of them - maybe the next zoochat game .

I must admit a smug look on a camel after a fart would be quite a funny sight, and I'm actually managing to giggle to myself at the idea