Things people do that irritate you when you go to the zoo?
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procyonlotor
Well-Known Member
A little late on this topic, but there are many things that anger me when working at the zoo.
I've had two incidents in recent weeks that have made me question why parents bring their children to the zoos.
The first...
Throwing things at the monkeys. I've had to get a macaque rushed to the vets after some idiot let their child throw a battery into the enclosure which the inquisitive monkey promptly chewed. The thing that got me the most was that it took the mammals keepers HALF AN HOUR to get there after I'd got on the radio to them since I couldn't get in there myself (I work in the invert house). Regardless of what feeds need to be done or whether it needs to be done, there are things that are far more important.
The second is people's reactions to you when you're not in uniform. Two children, about 10 or 11, decided that it would in fact be fun to poke our coatis with a stick. This of course, is not on any sane person's list of amusing things to do whilst at the zoo. When told to stop I got a torrent of abuse, not only from the children in question, but their GRANDMOTHER. It took me retrieving my pass from my rucksack to get them to pay any attention to my pleas.
What can I say? I just had to get it off my chest.
And then there are the people that use flash, or banging on the glass, or the usual inane questions of "what are you doing?" "Umm, giving them their dinner, what does it LOOK like I'm doing? Plucking their feathers?!"
Oh, and people trying to mangle the poor butterflies
The public aren't all ********s though, two days ago I had two children excitably babbling away about what they were learning about penguins and polar bears in school. I got stumped by a few questions too, which is always nice.
I've had two incidents in recent weeks that have made me question why parents bring their children to the zoos.
The first...
Throwing things at the monkeys. I've had to get a macaque rushed to the vets after some idiot let their child throw a battery into the enclosure which the inquisitive monkey promptly chewed. The thing that got me the most was that it took the mammals keepers HALF AN HOUR to get there after I'd got on the radio to them since I couldn't get in there myself (I work in the invert house). Regardless of what feeds need to be done or whether it needs to be done, there are things that are far more important.
The second is people's reactions to you when you're not in uniform. Two children, about 10 or 11, decided that it would in fact be fun to poke our coatis with a stick. This of course, is not on any sane person's list of amusing things to do whilst at the zoo. When told to stop I got a torrent of abuse, not only from the children in question, but their GRANDMOTHER. It took me retrieving my pass from my rucksack to get them to pay any attention to my pleas.
What can I say? I just had to get it off my chest.
And then there are the people that use flash, or banging on the glass, or the usual inane questions of "what are you doing?" "Umm, giving them their dinner, what does it LOOK like I'm doing? Plucking their feathers?!"
Oh, and people trying to mangle the poor butterflies
The public aren't all ********s though, two days ago I had two children excitably babbling away about what they were learning about penguins and polar bears in school. I got stumped by a few questions too, which is always nice.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
I was told today about a group of unsupervised school children throwing stones at orangutans in a zoo. If I'd been there I would now be in police custody. I hate it when people have no respect for animals and, once again, I question the value of school visits to zoos
I was told today about a group of unsupervised school children throwing stones at orangutans in a zoo. If I'd been there I would now be in police custody. I hate it when people have no respect for animals and, once again, I question the value of school visits to zoos
ohh, i see
Mr Saxon
Well-Known Member
Can zoos ban people???
May seem a random and confusing question, and I don't remember any stories on people being banned from a zoo or wildlife park but surely if these sorts of things happen then the zoo and staff have a right to ban these people. ESPECIALLY if they start to cause harm to the animals.
Just a curious question...
May seem a random and confusing question, and I don't remember any stories on people being banned from a zoo or wildlife park but surely if these sorts of things happen then the zoo and staff have a right to ban these people. ESPECIALLY if they start to cause harm to the animals.
Just a curious question...
I've only ever heard of people just being removed from the site. Wasn't there an incident where some students from another country were studying in a British University and visited a zoo, only to throw stones at a window or something. The Uni kicked them out and they had to leave the country.
Edit: Found it.
'On Thursday 31st July, a small group of Chinese students from an English language school in Oxford threw stones at the Lions and shattered one of the glass viewing windows. The window itself remained in place and at no point was there a danger to the public, or to the Lions.
Numerous visitors at the scene phoned the Park's office to alert us and photographed the offending Chinese students, so that within minutes all were apprehended. The Police also responded very promptly.
The School has sent the offending students back to China and has agreed to pay for the damage caused. All of us at the Park would like to thank those many visitors that day who ensured that these people were caught, and Thames Valley Police for their assistance.'
http://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/news-events/index.php
Edit: Found it.
'On Thursday 31st July, a small group of Chinese students from an English language school in Oxford threw stones at the Lions and shattered one of the glass viewing windows. The window itself remained in place and at no point was there a danger to the public, or to the Lions.
Numerous visitors at the scene phoned the Park's office to alert us and photographed the offending Chinese students, so that within minutes all were apprehended. The Police also responded very promptly.
The School has sent the offending students back to China and has agreed to pay for the damage caused. All of us at the Park would like to thank those many visitors that day who ensured that these people were caught, and Thames Valley Police for their assistance.'
http://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/news-events/index.php
sorry to bring this slightly off topic but I couldn't help injecting a spray of optimism to show the human race isn't all bad 
(after all optimists are suppossed to live longer)
i've witnessed some wonderful moments in zoos where children are generally interested in the Hornbills their mothers are sucessfully talking to thm about, why read ants are walking in a line with leaves on their head and why tapirs have got the long noses.
Zoos are a fantastic place and the majority of zoo visisots are wonderful people to be around, with a thirst for knowledge and enthusiasm for the animals.
So although we do witness people being really rude and annoying it is eqaully, if not more, important to remember the people not being rude or annoying.
(after all optimists are suppossed to live longer)i've witnessed some wonderful moments in zoos where children are generally interested in the Hornbills their mothers are sucessfully talking to thm about, why read ants are walking in a line with leaves on their head and why tapirs have got the long noses.
Zoos are a fantastic place and the majority of zoo visisots are wonderful people to be around, with a thirst for knowledge and enthusiasm for the animals.
So although we do witness people being really rude and annoying it is eqaully, if not more, important to remember the people not being rude or annoying.
I think a zoo could ban a person quite easily, but not enforce it in the slightest. A Zoo for the most part you just go to, pay some cash, and enter. To try to screen one or two people out of the million visitors you get each year when you have little to no information on them, and get little to no information from people trying to enter would probably be very difficult. (This is based upon my experience at the Toronto Zoo, results may vary).
The best they could do is maybe revoke any sort of membership plan that they may have, though I would hope anyone with that sort of deal wouldn't be the ones messing with the animals.
The best they could do is maybe revoke any sort of membership plan that they may have, though I would hope anyone with that sort of deal wouldn't be the ones messing with the animals.
Pootle
Well-Known Member
As a weekly visitor to Knowsley Safari Park, I see many many animals getting fed through the windows of cars. It is sad and very annoying to me. The park should do more to deter this I feel by way of signage and polite threat (as Chester Zoo do).
Meat pies fed to deer sp. nuts and crisps to anything and sandwiches free to all. It always happens so much more in the pm. As an Ecologist myself the whole thing really gets me and I am much more happy visiting during the winter months when the idiots are away mostly.
However watching the Baboons (lovely Olive Troop from my car on the right side of the fence) break and tear the feeding culprits cars apart I do gain some satisfaction.
Today I saw parents encouragingtheir children to feed Rhea, Pere David's, Nilgai, Bongo, Emu, Baboons (who lap it up), Guanaco's (despite two recent park Guanaco deaths), carrot throwing competiton to a mother white rhino and calf. and finally the very intelligent and friendly BactrianCamels eating monster munch, tissues (yes sadley) and sandwich crusts.
One day I will see a lion chomping on a Big Mac the way its going I reckon - not to mention the fact that the signs say keep windows up throughout lion enclosure...some people decide to ignore the signs and the keepers polite stern requests about this fact..
Meat pies fed to deer sp. nuts and crisps to anything and sandwiches free to all. It always happens so much more in the pm. As an Ecologist myself the whole thing really gets me and I am much more happy visiting during the winter months when the idiots are away mostly.
However watching the Baboons (lovely Olive Troop from my car on the right side of the fence) break and tear the feeding culprits cars apart I do gain some satisfaction.
Today I saw parents encouragingtheir children to feed Rhea, Pere David's, Nilgai, Bongo, Emu, Baboons (who lap it up), Guanaco's (despite two recent park Guanaco deaths), carrot throwing competiton to a mother white rhino and calf. and finally the very intelligent and friendly BactrianCamels eating monster munch, tissues (yes sadley) and sandwich crusts.
One day I will see a lion chomping on a Big Mac the way its going I reckon - not to mention the fact that the signs say keep windows up throughout lion enclosure...some people decide to ignore the signs and the keepers polite stern requests about this fact..
Fossa dude
Well-Known Member
I don't really want it to get to me but sometimes when I see kids chasing a peacock, making fun of the Crested Macaque's bottom, or when they stare at a male gorilla right in the eyes or stare and scream at an orangutan. That really makes me angry. After I see it I just leave but once a dude was smoking by the lions and I just had to tell a keeper. Thankfully the keeper went to the man and asked him to stop.
Blackduiker
Well-Known Member
Blackduiker
As with my earlier post, the scratching and graffiti on glass fronted exhibits. And believe it or not, on my last visit this past Friday they've even now started to tag the glass of our brand new $7,000,000 China Pavilion (Francois' Langurs/Reeve's Muntjac/Lady Amhert's Pheasant) habitat! That literally angered me for the remainder of the weekend. I'm thinking what's next? Elephants of Asia? Reptile, Amphibian and Insect Interpretive Center? Rainforest of the Americas? And there are security cameras in the viewing area, supposedly watching out for just such offenses. LA Zoo, where are the security guards? Keeper staff? Docents and volunteers? Preventive watch should now become a major priority in preserving the look, and Zoo patrons invested contributions at this institution. I wonder if this is a growing problem in other major city zoos or is Los Angeles unique in that regards? And I could name every other newly opened enclosure over the last 12 years. I'm extremely upset!!!
As with my earlier post, the scratching and graffiti on glass fronted exhibits. And believe it or not, on my last visit this past Friday they've even now started to tag the glass of our brand new $7,000,000 China Pavilion (Francois' Langurs/Reeve's Muntjac/Lady Amhert's Pheasant) habitat! That literally angered me for the remainder of the weekend. I'm thinking what's next? Elephants of Asia? Reptile, Amphibian and Insect Interpretive Center? Rainforest of the Americas? And there are security cameras in the viewing area, supposedly watching out for just such offenses. LA Zoo, where are the security guards? Keeper staff? Docents and volunteers? Preventive watch should now become a major priority in preserving the look, and Zoo patrons invested contributions at this institution. I wonder if this is a growing problem in other major city zoos or is Los Angeles unique in that regards? And I could name every other newly opened enclosure over the last 12 years. I'm extremely upset!!!
As with my earlier post, the scratching and graffiti on glass fronted exhibits. And believe it or not, on my last visit this past Friday they've even now started to tag the glass of our brand new $7,000,000 China Pavilion (Francois' Langurs/Reeve's Muntjac/Lady Amhert's Pheasant) habitat! That literally angered me for the remainder of the weekend. I'm thinking what's next? Elephants of Asia? Reptile, Amphibian and Insect Interpretive Center? Rainforest of the Americas? And there are security cameras in the viewing area, supposedly watching out for just such offenses. LA Zoo, where are the security guards? Keeper staff? Docents and volunteers? Preventive watch should now become a major priority in preserving the look, and Zoo patrons invested contributions at this institution. I wonder if this is a growing problem in other major city zoos or is Los Angeles unique in that regards? And I could name every other newly opened enclosure over the last 12 years. I'm extremely upset!!!
I think LA represents the extreme end of this reprehensible form of "self-expression," but it does seem to be everywhere in big cities to some extent. Sad--I remember seeing similar damage at the then-new Orangutan Forest several years ago.
Blackduiker
Well-Known Member
Blackduiker
Or when they think the smaller adult female next to an adult male Orang is the baby.
Or when they think the smaller adult female next to an adult male Orang is the baby.
Mr Saxon
Well-Known Member
At PWP beside the Bactrian camels there is a sign saying "please be carefully, the Bactrian camel will eat anything!"
After a few photos I moved on until I heard a guy say "Eat anything? Lets put that to the TEST!" I turned around to see him pulling out a pen from his pocket but thankfully the camel had turned away and lost interest.
This wasn't technically in the zoo however beside Belfast Zoo there's a path leading up to Cave Hill and up the mountain. Behind the African Wild Dogs and beside the path just around the indoor viewing to the Lions there were a few rowdy guys drinking beer and playing music really loudly on a stereo or in a car. They were throwing things into the path and could obviously see into the zoo as they made snide comments and shouted rude language at everyone who walked down the path. I was with my young neice at the time, who was keen to see the lions but I was damn sure I wouldn't go down that way so we back-tracked all the way back to the Tamarins/Marmosets and down the way we went up back to the red pandas and round to the lions that way.
I couldn't find anyone at the time to report them too and was unsure WHO to report them too. They weren't actually on site or anything.
Tagging a 7 million pound exhibit? I think a cull is needed for chavs and idiots like these.
Most I've seen like that is a few shelters used for visitors to get out of the rain and brand new bins. Why in gods name would you tag a bin? Want to be associated with trash all your life? Suits me.
After a few photos I moved on until I heard a guy say "Eat anything? Lets put that to the TEST!" I turned around to see him pulling out a pen from his pocket but thankfully the camel had turned away and lost interest.
This wasn't technically in the zoo however beside Belfast Zoo there's a path leading up to Cave Hill and up the mountain. Behind the African Wild Dogs and beside the path just around the indoor viewing to the Lions there were a few rowdy guys drinking beer and playing music really loudly on a stereo or in a car. They were throwing things into the path and could obviously see into the zoo as they made snide comments and shouted rude language at everyone who walked down the path. I was with my young neice at the time, who was keen to see the lions but I was damn sure I wouldn't go down that way so we back-tracked all the way back to the Tamarins/Marmosets and down the way we went up back to the red pandas and round to the lions that way.
I couldn't find anyone at the time to report them too and was unsure WHO to report them too. They weren't actually on site or anything.
Tagging a 7 million pound exhibit? I think a cull is needed for chavs and idiots like these.
Most I've seen like that is a few shelters used for visitors to get out of the rain and brand new bins. Why in gods name would you tag a bin? Want to be associated with trash all your life? Suits me.
I'm actually ok with people going into a zoo and not looking at the exhibits. Why? Because that means you have more alone time at that exhibit and don't have to put up with everyone else.
People feeding things to animals, screaming or making animal noises at the animals, banging on glass and using the flash on their cameras are probably the most annoying things.
People feeding things to animals, screaming or making animal noises at the animals, banging on glass and using the flash on their cameras are probably the most annoying things.
Paix
Well-Known Member
Thats terrible!- Status