Animal Interactions in Walk Through Exhibits

[Breckenridge]

What are your stories of animals in a walk through exhibit interacting with you. (Obviously by the animal's willing choice, I don't want stories of animal harassment or harm.)

My own example: While attending Zoo School at the North Carolina Zoo, my friends and I would often visit the Forest Aviary where the Blue-crowned laughingthrush would follow us through the aviary and sometimes land on our heads for a few seconds before flying off again. I also experienced a Costa's hummingbird checking out the red on my school name tag for a few seconds while in the Desert exhibit.

 

[Yoshistar888]

What are your stories of animals in a walk through exhibit interacting with you. (Obviously by the animal's willing choice, I don't want stories of animal harassment or harm.)

My own example: While attending Zoo School at the North Carolina Zoo, my friends and I would often visit the Forest Aviary where the Blue-crowned laughingthrush would follow us through the aviary and sometimes land on our heads for a few seconds before flying off again. I also experienced a Costa's hummingbird checking out the red on my school name tag for a few seconds while in the Desert exhibit.

I have a few stories here down under.

Firstly was at Melbourne Zoos lemur island 6 years ago, I have mentioned this in other threads but the lemurs kept attempting to attack my fathers eski (portable cooler) which had drinks in it.

Secondly at Phillip Island Wildlife Park, I’ve also mentioned this in other threads and that is the viscous emus there, if they see a person with the kangaroo food, they will hop up and swarm around the person. Luckily all you have to do is inflate yourself to look larger and hold your hands high and they will bugger off.

Thirdly are multiple encounters at Melbourne Zoos butterfly house where many species of butterflies like to have a rest on people’s hats or t shirts, I’ve had this happen to me a few times.

 

[kc7gr]

Back in the 90's, my wife and I were going through the SD Zoo's big, multi-level walk-through aviary. About halfway down, sitting on the railing, was a gorgeous turaco. This bird took one look at my wife -- and promptly hopped straight up onto her arm.

Saying a very physical 'hello' was not enough for this particular featherhead. After a very close examination of my wife's sunglasses (the outer lenses were highly reflective) the bird reached out, very delicately, grabbed the bridge of the glasses in her beak, and carefully removed them. The critter seemed a lot happier, being able to see eye-to-eye as it were.

If a bird can smirk, I swear, this one was doing so. We found out later, from one of the keepers (after they got their laughter under control), that this particular bird had been hand-raised and was widely considered a 'pet of the park.'

Gee, could have fooled us! ;-)

 

[Azamat Shackleford]

Detroit's Luzon bleeding heart dove likes to wander near guests, and whenever I walk past the aviary it seems to usually be nearby. Such a sweet little fella.

 

[15399]

Detroit's Luzon bleeding heart dove likes to wander near guests, and whenever I walk past the aviary it seems to usually be nearby. Such a sweet little fella.

Same thing with the red-crested Turaco at Capron Park Zoo. It unfortunately has since been removed from the free-flight Rainforest due to the amount of times it has landed on people's heads. I have also seen the male crested wood partridge, both ringed teals, one of the nicobar pigeons, and sunbittern wander onto the visitor pathway, although mostly avoiding visitors.

 

[FBBird]

Detroit's Luzon bleeding heart dove likes to wander near guests, and whenever I walk past the aviary it seems to usually be nearby. Such a sweet little fella.

I knew one that liked to sit on visitor’s heads, and even laid an egg there