I hear this one pretty often too.
General Zoo Misconceptions
- Thread starter CZJimmy
- Start date
I hear this one pretty often too.
Dont know if anyone has posted this one but.
'What are those things in the trees mummy?
'Llamas'
Nearly falling into a bush with laughter.
I was in Lemur Wood at the time!
'Daddy was chased up a tree by one of them in Africa'
We were looking at the Cassowarys. I politely pointed out to the mother they come from Australia.Oh was her reply. .
Gorillas are the males Orangutangs are the females!
'What are those things in the trees mummy?
'Llamas'
Nearly falling into a bush with laughter.
I was in Lemur Wood at the time!
'Daddy was chased up a tree by one of them in Africa'
We were looking at the Cassowarys. I politely pointed out to the mother they come from Australia.Oh was her reply. .
Gorillas are the males Orangutangs are the females!
My most recent was at folly farm whilst looking at the Fossa:
Boy: What are these nan?
Nan: I don't know, some type of monkey maybe?
Girl: Don't be stupid, they're hyaenas
Boy: The sign says they're called fossas
Girl: No, it's wrong. They're definitely hyaenas
Well done nan! I'm not being funny but it isn't hard to read the sign to kids who are genuinely interested.
Boy: What are these nan?
Nan: I don't know, some type of monkey maybe?
Girl: Don't be stupid, they're hyaenas
Boy: The sign says they're called fossas
Girl: No, it's wrong. They're definitely hyaenas
Well done nan! I'm not being funny but it isn't hard to read the sign to kids who are genuinely interested.
EvilKittie
Well-Known Member
at Chester a while back and i was watching the flamingos and a keeper was feeding them, he was nearly done and a woman walked up with a little kid and said "your flamingos must be ill coz the are pink!" I just stopped myself from laughing. :O
was at a bird of prey display at Banham today and was flying 3 Hooded Vultures and a little kid behind me said "Mummy, why is that bird bald coz it looks like its been to the hairdressers too many times." Not that bad but... :O
But not even is as well educated as the people on this forums ^.^
was at a bird of prey display at Banham today and was flying 3 Hooded Vultures and a little kid behind me said "Mummy, why is that bird bald coz it looks like its been to the hairdressers too many times." Not that bad but... :O
But not even is as well educated as the people on this forums ^.^
tahninial
Active Member
I have said this before on here, but hearing it at least a dozen times today made me ready to start punching some of these people. (Perhaps not literally
)The difference between a lion and a tiger is the most enraging of all the misconceptions. I am interested to know if they don't know which is called Tiger or they're all tigers but one is stripey (or the girl)...
It's how you don't know what a lion is that irks me. They're on eggs and syrup and related to football and there's the star sign.
I could accept all other niggles if that one would go away.
While I am repeating myself in this thread, I feel I should share again the tale of my friend laughing for what felt like forever when I said Red Panda, imagining someone painting a Giant Panda red.
Just been watching an old episode of the British panel show Mock the Week and the discussion turned to zoos and the comedian Frankie Boyle said he visited a safari park in Scotland (presumably Blair Drummond) with his son.
When they arrived at the otter enclosure, the otter started calling towards Boyle and Boyle said to his son that the otter was saying hello. Then a keeper interrupted him and said "No, he's not. He's pining for his mate. She died yesterday"
I know it was deliberately meant to be funny, but I also found it amusing that the animals noises were misinterpreted.
EDIT: just read that back, it doesn't sound as funny in a text format
When they arrived at the otter enclosure, the otter started calling towards Boyle and Boyle said to his son that the otter was saying hello. Then a keeper interrupted him and said "No, he's not. He's pining for his mate. She died yesterday"
I know it was deliberately meant to be funny, but I also found it amusing that the animals noises were misinterpreted.
EDIT: just read that back, it doesn't sound as funny in a text format
News flash!
Good news today.
I HAVE MANAGED TO EDUCATE SOMEONE!!!!!!!!!!
Mind you it was a corker when someone asked me and he was deadly serious. What is the difference between an Wait for it......................
Orangutan and a Gorilla, After closing my mouth I explained the most obvious Point COLOUR.!one being orange and the other Black with variations, OH he said and then I went into all the other details trying not to miss any and he said thank you very much I really didnt know that. And he had two children and they all went of to read about them.So I deserve Brownie points because if we all can educate one person then that has a wider implication. So it isnt all negative.......
Good news today.
I HAVE MANAGED TO EDUCATE SOMEONE!!!!!!!!!!
Mind you it was a corker when someone asked me and he was deadly serious. What is the difference between an Wait for it......................
Orangutan and a Gorilla, After closing my mouth I explained the most obvious Point COLOUR.!one being orange and the other Black with variations, OH he said and then I went into all the other details trying not to miss any and he said thank you very much I really didnt know that. And he had two children and they all went of to read about them.So I deserve Brownie points because if we all can educate one person then that has a wider implication. So it isnt all negative.......
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Congrats kkkp.
That has reminded me of another animal misunderstanding. I know someone who at one point thought orang utans were actually called orange utans because of the colour. He found out when he asked why he hadn't seen or heard of any other colour utans.
That has reminded me of another animal misunderstanding. I know someone who at one point thought orang utans were actually called orange utans because of the colour. He found out when he asked why he hadn't seen or heard of any other colour utans.
Went to london zoo and was positively delighted with the amount of parents correctly informing their children (or each other) on animals, for example i saw a mother informing her child (a few years old) about a hornbill, I saw a family correct one of its members when it refered to a serval as a cheetah. And i loved the fact that there was so many children exited to see wildlife.
there was only the one case of misconception in that someone refered to the african wild dogs as hyenas.
there was only the one case of misconception in that someone refered to the african wild dogs as hyenas.
When I went to Chester Zoo on Friday I had lunch by the Anoa Exhibit. I heard the following:
Number 1
Boy: Mummy, look at that camel!
Mum: That's not a camel.
Boy: Yes it is a camel!
Mum: No, it's a deer. Now come on!
Number 2
Boy A: What's that?
Boy B: It's a three-headed pig. A three-headed pig! (Starts Laughing)
(Boy A starts laughing)
I also heard several people calling Red River Hogs Warthogs.
Number 1
Boy: Mummy, look at that camel!
Mum: That's not a camel.
Boy: Yes it is a camel!
Mum: No, it's a deer. Now come on!
Number 2
Boy A: What's that?
Boy B: It's a three-headed pig. A three-headed pig! (Starts Laughing)
(Boy A starts laughing)
I also heard several people calling Red River Hogs Warthogs.
Panthera Puss
Well-Known Member
A good motto I keep in mind is Chaucer's comment on his scholarly Clerk from the Canterbury Tales:
'And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche'.
Learning new stuff and passing it on is the lifeblood of what makes us human, for me at least. As long as there are still people willing to learn (formally or informally) I don't quite despair for the world & it's animals.
'And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche'.
Learning new stuff and passing it on is the lifeblood of what makes us human, for me at least. As long as there are still people willing to learn (formally or informally) I don't quite despair for the world & it's animals.
mstickmanp
Well-Known Member
A big one that I often hear that gets me really mad is when animals are sleeping, people always say that the animals are bored.
Is that really all that bad though? If this woman was in a rush to get somewhere then you really cant blame her for not looking at the sign, and hey at least she made some attempt to educate her son by telling him that it wasnt a camel.
Just been watching an old episode of the British panel show Mock the Week and the discussion turned to zoos and the comedian Frankie Boyle said he visited a safari park in Scotland (presumably Blair Drummond) with his son.
When they arrived at the otter enclosure, the otter started calling towards Boyle and Boyle said to his son that the otter was saying hello. Then a keeper interrupted him and said "No, he's not. He's pining for his mate. She died yesterday"
I know it was deliberately meant to be funny, but I also found it amusing that the animals noises were misinterpreted.
EDIT: just read that back, it doesn't sound as funny in a text format
I saw that episode too. He described the miserable lions, wondering when the Scottish rainy season was ever going to end. He said it was like an animal Shawshank Redemption.
But even if you look at an anoa for less than half a second you surely would describe it as a small cow as that it what it obviously resembles.
the funniest thing I ever heard was a group of girls asking each other if our herd of five giraffe were electronic and finally deciding that they must be! I mean come on! Thats what zoo's do right? spend millions on building an electronic giraffe exhibit!
oh and i've heard our Marsh mongoose being called skunks hundreds of times too....are people really that clueless?
oh and i've heard our Marsh mongoose being called skunks hundreds of times too....are people really that clueless?
slightly off point but the most annoying thing to me is hearing 'Compare the meerkat.com' hundreds of times every day!! It makes me want to finish our meerkat enclosure and get away as fast as possible!!
and i often hear our b&W lemurs being called giant pandas and our red ruffs being called red pandas.........sigh
and i often hear our b&W lemurs being called giant pandas and our red ruffs being called red pandas.........sigh