Chester Zoo People Feeding The Animals!!!!

LeeMac13

LeeMac13

Well-Known Member
We visited the zoo a few weeks back and whilst watching the chimpanzees in the outdoor enclosure we saw a man throwing parts of a sandwich over to them, It looked like a mixture of bread and some sort of meat. This got all of the chimps v excited but surerly this isnt healthy for them. We went to look for a keeper to tell them but it took us a while eventually we found one and when we told them said that she was going to have a look for him, as we came out we saw him feeding the same bread and meat to the red river hogs he then went into the tropical realm and probably fed the birds in there too. We later saw him feeding all of the monkeys on monkey islands aswell ( A complete nutcase in my opinion)!!

Just wish something could be done

Sorry mini rant over now
 
i do find it abit anoying when it happens, but ive got a question is duck/kangroo feed at southlakes good for the babirusa coz a women was feeding pooh (correct spelling?) and the female with him!!! =(( also wat annoys me when signs saying please do not touch the animals, they go and touch it, so i just want to say "you know the best place to stroke an animal is in its mouth!"
 
As a keeper it is rather frustrating when people feed the animals when there are clear signs asking people not to, whilst explaining their carefully balanced diets. A Crested Seriema never eats ice cream in the wild and neither do penguins eat chocloate :mad: :rolleyes:
 
I would love to get a job throwing people out of the zoo, most zoos have some sort of code of conduct displayed at the entrance or in guide book. So I could :D and enjoy every minute :p

OH I think stupid people should be banned to, who don't know their tiger from their cheetah :rolleyes:

Maybe they should be threatened with the vets bills, bet they don't come cheap!
 
EvilKittie said:
i do find it abit anoying when it happens, but ive got a question is duck/kangroo feed at southlakes good for the babirusa coz a women was feeding pooh (correct spelling?) and the female with him!!! =(( also wat annoys me when signs saying please do not touch the animals, they go and touch it, so i just want to say "you know the best place to stroke an animal is in its mouth!"
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I think the correct spelling is Po.
 
Unauthorized feeding is a longstanding problem, but I think maybe it's less common in the U.S. than in other countries. I haven't been out of the U.S. yet (first trip next month), so I can't say for sure, but it seems the people I've seen the most feeding animals here are foreign tourists.

Of course years ago zoos encouraged this, to help cut down on food bills, so it's hard to stop something you started yourselves. But it seems as if in the 15 years or so that I have been actively visiting zoos I have noticed a decrease.
 
IIRC, ever since I can remember visiting zoos (at least in the UK) - and I am 44 - there have always been notices saying not to feed the animals.

Like Karen, I'd love a job throwing out the ignorant and arrogant types who ignore these instructions, somehow believing that they know better or that having to show some sense and consideration doesn't apply to them. I feel for keepers who have to keep their temper and diplomatically explain balanced diets etc but except in a tiny fraction of cases, I simply don't believe it's genuine ignorance (or illiteracy) behind it but utter stupidity, showing off (e.g. to kids or girlfriend) or a complete lack of respect for the animals. If these people can't obey a few simple rules, they should be marched out without a refund.
 
I saw a guy feeding a meerkat cucumber today at Paignton, the girl he was with said "You're not meant to be doing that", he laughed and I said "No, you're really not, it says on the sign you're half a foot away from!" He gave me evils but my deed was done lol.
 
I've accosted a family climbing barriers in order to feed bits of pastie to Echo Parakeets before...

I was livid. Even more so when they acted all sorry, walked off a bit waited till they thought I was gone and then came back to start again.

Yes, I did tell them they would be asked to leave very shortly if they did not stop.

rar!
 
I am disgusted that people,where they have left their love for animals? at home with their obese dogs,perhaps.
 
ashley-h said:
I saw a guy feeding a meerkat cucumber today at Paignton, the girl he was with said "You're not meant to be doing that", he laughed and I said "No, you're really not, it says on the sign you're half a foot away from!" He gave me evils but my deed was done lol.
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Heh, at Marwell I've done that to a woman repeatedly banging to try and wake up Gamin the tiger for a photo, and a man who was really vicously shouting at Yasmin the snow leopard who had her back turned, again so he could get a photo. The latter in particular really angered me.

And sometimes feeding can be fatal: One of Marwell's anti-feeding signs shows a gruesome pic of a pencil stuck inside one of the penguins guts as revealed on a post-mortem.
 
I saw that sign. And I think its quite effective. More effective than a simple 'please do not...' sign, anyway. I'm forever telling kids off at work for thinking they can not only tap, but bang, or in some cases slap the fish tanks to get the fish to come out of hiding.
 
1) Confront the perpetrator.
2a) Take in his/her reaction
2b) Respond where appropriate
3) Report to keeper/zoo staff

Let 3) deal with the outcome. Hardliners will be evicted from the premises, I can assure you.
 
I've got the Zoo Reception number on my mobile phone so that I can report any problem behaviour. I haven't had to use it - yet. And there was the time I've mentioned elsewhere when I photographed a family throwing food to the macaques. Probably against their human rights though :mad:
 
the worst thinng i heard at chester zoo is...

we were near the jaguar house and some LARGE women was all like "where are the jaguars, i bet chester zoo shot em"

and i was like omg

I so Wanted her fat ass out of my local zoo
 
Why would she say that? It's not like Chester have a reputation for shooting things... Strange.
 
Gigit said:
I've got the Zoo Reception number on my mobile phone so that I can report any problem behaviour. I haven't had to use it - yet. And there was the time I've mentioned elsewhere when I photographed a family throwing food to the macaques. Probably against their human rights though :mad:
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I have the same thing on my mobile! Edinburgh Zoo's reception number. Always inform staff if you see any visitor feeding the animals and let them take the appropriate action. Bu I do have to admit that I would love the job of ejecting people who do not follow the basic rules at the zoo!

Everywhere I went on my recent trip there were signs upsaying "Do Not Feed the Animals. They areon a strictly balanced and preared diet." Only in situations where you are allowed to feed under strict guidance of a keeper and with food provided by the zoo for that purpose is there and deviance from that line. I think some people find it difficult to read signs which could improve there enjoyment from watching the animal!
 
one of the things i hate seeing at zoos, so much so that i actualy have a go at the person feeding/banging/teasing animals.
i will tell them not to do it if they dont listen i report them to zoo keepers although i have had some laugh and say "yer happens all the time":eek:
ive gone ott before though and at molehall saw a man poking the chimp with sticks and i said i bet the chimp loves you doing that! he replied that its funny, i was soo annoyed that when he picked up another stick i grabbed it and snapped it !
he stopped but i had 2 restrain myself from jabbin it in his face and saying ooo how funny!
stu
 
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