Things people do that irritate you when you go to the zoo? #2

I know this thread is old, but I want to comment because I have one example that really made me actually cry... so I was at the Turtle Back Zoo a while ago, (of course I am there a lot but this scene was a while ago), and I was at the Gray Wolf Exhibit, one of my favirotes at the zoo. And this kid started banging on the glass and SCREAMING at the wolves. And I tried telling him to be quiet the wolves have sensitive hearing, BUT I WAS THE ONE GETTING YELLED AT BY HIS MOTHER. His mother goes "excuse me that's my child your talking to!" Like okay lady if you are aware that is your child then make your child be quiet for peeps sake. This is a zoo where you can't bang on the windows or scream at the animals. And so that day I left crying cause I was upset that she yelled at me but not her child who was the one causing disturbance to the animals.
 
What's worse than bad behavior is the stubborn defense of it. Shame on them both! I come across this unfortunate situation quite often, and I wager a lot of us here on Zoochat do too, so you're far from alone, Jena.
 
It is bizarre when parents act like that. On my last visit to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, we were quietly watching the tigers with a couple of older gentlemen with impressive cameras (no, that is not a euphemism, no matter what it sounds like!) and suddenly a group of small children raced into the area, literally screaming. When we turned around in surprise the mothers, who appeared to have no interest in the children at all, started shouting at us that the children were just having fun. None of us said a word but apparently we couldn't even turn around to see what the noise was (my instinct as a teacher is that a child screaming is in serious trouble and I was ready to leap in and offer my first aid services). I was left entirely baffled by the whole experience.
 
I’m far too mouthy for my own good in situations like that. I absolutely could not tolerate it or let it lie.
 
Emanuel Theodorus said:
In Indonesia, they called Hippopotamus a Rhinoceros! That gives me huge pet peeve! And I hate when every primate is called monkeys!
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I had the same thing in burgers zoo, where someone called a pygmy hippo a rhino. Also heard someone say once "Hey look its a chameleon" to a 2 meter long green iguana. I mean you have to know the difference between the two.
 
When people are there for a good 10 or more seconds talking with each other about what the animal in front of them is and trying to figure it out despite there is a sign right next to them.
 
PaleoMatt said:
When people are there for a good 10 or more seconds talking with each other about what the animal in front of them is and trying to figure it out despite there is a sign right next to them.
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A grandmother did actually look at a sign in Paignton's elephant house last week and declared to her small grandson 'He's called Duchess' :rolleyes: I mentally awarded her the 'Should Know Better' plaque.
 
JigerofLemuria said:
What's worse than bad behavior is the stubborn defense of it. Shame on them both! I come across this unfortunate situation quite often, and I wager a lot of us here on Zoochat do too, so you're far from alone, Jena.
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Glad I am not alone lmao. But yeah it's like sometimes I feel children should just be banned from zoos unless they are old enough to know better. It's like parents need to have more control over their kids at zoos. Like I don't even care how little they are, the animals won't understand that. And I also have sensitive hearing myself, so I relate to the animals when children scream.

BeakerUK said:
It is bizarre when parents act like that. On my last visit to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, we were quietly watching the tigers with a couple of older gentlemen with impressive cameras (no, that is not a euphemism, no matter what it sounds like!) and suddenly a group of small children raced into the area, literally screaming. When we turned around in surprise the mothers, who appeared to have no interest in the children at all, started shouting at us that the children were just having fun. None of us said a word but apparently we couldn't even turn around to see what the noise was (my instinct as a teacher is that a child screaming is in serious trouble and I was ready to leap in and offer my first aid services). I was left entirely baffled by the whole experience.
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I know right! It's like if parents have screaming children then they shouldn't bring them to the zoo in the first place. When I was little my mom told me I didn't scream at the animals at all. I mean I did scream sometimes but not like at a zoo with animals. Plus screaming at animals makes the animal go away and not wanting to come near the window/glass/screen or what ever barrier the zoo has in place. If they want to scream they should go to a haunted house or a amusment park with no animals instead. So yeah that is rough though.
 
I was pleased to note in Barcelona last weekend I saw several parents telling their children not to bang on the glass. Though when there was a barrier before an enclosure they seemed to have no problem with their children being the wrong side of the barriers.
 
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I have also heard an adult call a capybara at my local zoo an otter yesterday (note that there was a nicely-sized sign nearby).
 
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