General Zoo Misconceptions
- Thread starter CZJimmy
- Start date
You can see why someone would think that!
Tig
Well-Known Member
Visitor: Where are your Lions?
Me: We don't have Lions, sorry. We do have Leopards though, they are right through there.
Visitor: **Scoffs, walks away shaking head**
I think: "What did I do...?"
I love when people ask me about an animal, "What does it do?" I'm thinking "I don't know how to answer that question, but E for effort"
Me: We don't have Lions, sorry. We do have Leopards though, they are right through there.
Visitor: **Scoffs, walks away shaking head**
I think: "What did I do...?"
I love when people ask me about an animal, "What does it do?" I'm thinking "I don't know how to answer that question, but E for effort"
Devi, ur daughters amazing lolhow old is she (just wanna no cuz of the situation)?
She's 8 and took her first trip to the zoo at 2 weeks old, and has since been to 3 or 4 new ones a year at least and regular trips to the local ones. She now has the idea that people who don't know their animals are a bit backward, I'm working on getting her not to say it out loud, hehe.
some of the funniest comments i have heard:
female chimp = silverback gorilla (at Monkey World where there are no gorillas!)
lar gibbon = baboon
capuchin = lemur
orangutan = red realm (a friend of mine heard this at chester zoo!!!)
serval = cheetah
sand cat = just a domestic cat
siamang gibbon = spider monkey
female gorilla nursing infant = he
i'm sure i have loads more examples!
my favourite so far is Mandrill = "Gorilla with facepaint on"!
female chimp = silverback gorilla (at Monkey World where there are no gorillas!)
lar gibbon = baboon
capuchin = lemur
orangutan = red realm (a friend of mine heard this at chester zoo!!!)
serval = cheetah
sand cat = just a domestic cat
siamang gibbon = spider monkey
female gorilla nursing infant = he
i'm sure i have loads more examples!
my favourite so far is Mandrill = "Gorilla with facepaint on"!
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adrian1963
Well-Known Member
Standing next to the Yellow Mongoose sign at Dudley today one female adult said to her friend
These Meerkats are a different Colour to the ones on the telly in that meerkat.com thing!
These Meerkats are a different Colour to the ones on the telly in that meerkat.com thing!
Tig
Well-Known Member
Here's one I heard...
Someone came up to me and asked if the Servals were tied up inside their enclosure because there was a long rope tied to a tree limb. Uh, okay... I explained the definition of enrichment, another zoo visitor with an interesting piece of information to go home with
Someone came up to me and asked if the Servals were tied up inside their enclosure because there was a long rope tied to a tree limb. Uh, okay... I explained the definition of enrichment, another zoo visitor with an interesting piece of information to go home with
"What are these?"
"Red River Hogs"
"Hmmm.... where is the Red River then?"
"Red River Hogs"
"Hmmm.... where is the Red River then?"
In fairness, Dudley's sign describes them as 'Yellow Mongoose or Red Meerkat', somewhat strangely!
Sun Wukong
Well-Known Member
Reminds me of one of a "Dog missing" note I once saw:
"Missing: 7 year old male Golden Red River"
As you can see, ignorance in regard to correct animal names isn't limited to zoo animals...
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I nearly tore my own hair off when I was watching the aardvarks in Randers Tropical Zoo today
About 80 % of the guests thought it was anteaters.
A group of guests came and complained: "Why are they keeping domestic pigs inside that cramped cage? Anyways, it's just pigs. You can see them at the countryside. Let's continue."
BTW, the aardvarks don't live in a cramped cage, but a fine nocturama exhibit.
And possibly the most strange; a kid about 8-9 years got all the names of animals correct despite not being able to read most of the signs, but when he came to the aardvarks, he insisted they were called "anthill rabbits". His mom believed him without a doubt.
About 80 % of the guests thought it was anteaters.
A group of guests came and complained: "Why are they keeping domestic pigs inside that cramped cage? Anyways, it's just pigs. You can see them at the countryside. Let's continue."
BTW, the aardvarks don't live in a cramped cage, but a fine nocturama exhibit.
And possibly the most strange; a kid about 8-9 years got all the names of animals correct despite not being able to read most of the signs, but when he came to the aardvarks, he insisted they were called "anthill rabbits". His mom believed him without a doubt.