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

[Paix]

I tend to just walk away, for example, whilst at the Palms, some 'woman' was shouting "Hey come over here and see the bats!" Ofcourse this is an easy mistake I thought, she is at the Sugar Glider enclosure!!!

Although, if there is a possibilty that the animal will come to harm, either me or my mum tend to go on a rant. For example, a group of yobs thought it would be funny to give the Orangs chewing gum at Dudley. He did it twice, threw in a whole handful. My mom ended up screaming at them, chasing them down the path. They left!

Im just glad my mum did it before I did, as I would of got very very angry.

 

[Red Panda]

What annoys me at zoo's

Hi all

I agree with a few things already said on this thread, mainly 1) people not actually taking the time to see what is in an enclosure e.g. The Red Panda enclosure. My partner and I have camped out, sitting next to the Chester Zoo Red Panda enclosure for about 4 hours at a time and we see people just walk past, look in briefly and then walk on by. Most don't even look up to see Pali (the male) sitting in a tree, not to mention read the information boards.

2) is children jumping or climbing on the walls of the enclosure or as one member said banging with their hands on the glass.

I dont want to sound anti children and infuriate parents on here, but people with push chairs annoy me even more, they either dawdle in the middle of the pathways, or ram the push chair into your heels. Ouch!! Really annoys me!

Show some consideration please!!!

 

[Paix]

Hi all

I dont want to sound anti children and infuriate parents on here, but people with push chairs annoy me even more, they either dawdle in the middle of the pathways, or ram the push chair into your heels. Ouch!! Really annoys me!

Show some consideration please!!!

You dont sound anti children here, I completely agree. Mothers with push chairs always seem to progress slowly round the path, usually on their phone, not taking any notice of the animals. You struggle to pass, as like you said, they always take up the whole path and when you do pass, they give you strange looks!

Whilst they are doing this, their kids are most likely off climbing over barriers and screaming!

Sorry everyone, rant over now!

 

[LeeMac13]

Well, as a regular visitor to Chester and an occasional visitor of Blackpool there are several things that really annoy me. The majority of which have already been mentioned.

The main ones are people feeding the animals because of cause a ham sandwich is on the menu of Red River Hogs! The person in question was told be myself to stop he then graciously told me to go f myself !

Also banging on glass or covering it in finger prints is another thing that really gripes me. Id quite like to get some of those people an but them in a enclosure and bang on the glass to see how they like it.
Recently at Chester I have heard the barbirussa being called a baby Rhino on two separate occasions. The Spectacled bear being called a Polar Bear that is black instead of white. And the old favourite which I have heard more times than I care to remember the Okapi is a mix between a Giraffe and a Zebra and as one lady pointed out to her son at Chester that must be right because they are in the enclosure right next to each other! Another peeve of mine is when people say how sad or bored the animals look. It's a Lion in the wild it would sleep the majority of the day! it's not because it is sad or bored its because that is what it would naturally do.
And lastly as somebody who works as a teacher I know how important it is to pass on information to children aswell as adults and sometimes im really pleased when I hear children at the zoo talking at length about the animals and seeing the wonderment on their faces. A few times at the zoo I have heard children asking their parents questions about the animals with the parents replying that they dont know sometimes if i know the answer i will tell them and whilst the majority of adults are appreciative of me talking to the children some of them look at me with complete contempt and distain. Recently at Chester a young girl around 7 was stood next to the Lion enclosure with her parents a few feet away I was there taking some pictures when she asked me if i knew what the lions were called so i told her and starting talking to her about them and giving her little bits of information about them she could tell her parents when her mother decided to come storming over an shouting at me asking what i was doing talking to her daughter!!! Now i know in todays society people are always cautious about strangers talking to their children but i think this was a little over the top.

Rant over now

 

[Panthera Puss]

Recently at Chester a young girl around 7 was stood next to the Lion enclosure with her parents a few feet away I was there taking some pictures when she asked me if i knew what the lions were called so i told her and starting talking to her about them and giving her little bits of information about them she could tell her parents when her mother decided to come storming over an shouting at me asking what i was doing talking to her daughter!!!

That sort of behaviour by the mother really makes me angry, and is in itself a mild form of child abuse. A lot of kids long for intelligent adult company & conversation, especially a male figure as often their only alternative is one of a string of uncaring step-dads. Talk about crushing youngsters' interest in the world.

 

[LeeMac13]

That sort of behaviour by the mother really makes me angry, and is in itself a mild form of child abuse. A lot of kids long for intelligent adult company & conversation, especially a male figure as often their only alternative is one of a string of uncaring step-dads. Talk about crushing youngsters' interest in the world.

I did try and explain to the lady that I was just trying to be helpful and explained to her that I was a teacher and not the type of person who would be up to anything untoward but she just looked at me as if i was from Mars. The girl was visible upset as she must have thought it was her who had done something wrong. Hopefully alot more children start visiting zoo's and behaving in a more appropriate way my goddaughers who are both 6 love going the zoo and even speak to the keepers and presenters asking plenty of questions.

 

[blospz]

-Throwing food into an animal exhibit. Parents actually doing this as well.
-Yelling at the animal and making noises to get their attention.
-Loud, inconsiderate youth groups who just go off in all directions, scream, and their chaperones as horrible themselves. I couldn't even take any time in the Rainforest Primate exhibit at Pittsburgh Zoo having those youth groups on my heal.
-People who make a big deal when an animal pees or poops. Everyone does it, read the children's book!

 

[KCZooFan]

-People who make a big deal when an animal pees or poops. Everyone does it, read the children's book!

I hate it when that happens.
I was at St. Louis with my grandmother, when an elephant decied to pee. My grandmother, being the hillbilly she is, went on for the next 15 minutes about how it looked like a fire hose and so on. Its really embarassing.

 

[sooty mangabey]

I have heard the barbirussa being called a baby Rhino on two separate occasions. The Spectacled bear being called a Polar Bear that is black instead of white. And the old favourite which I have heard more times than I care to remember the Okapi is a mix between a Giraffe and a Zebra

This sort of complaint features a great deal on this thread. Yes, for those of us who know our aardvark from our emu (as an old London Zoo slogan had it), this can be frustrating. But then users of a site such as this are - mostly - going to have a greater knowledge of natural history than the population at large (this does not stop occasional howlers appearing here, though). But if the average zoo nerd visited an art collection, or a botanical garden, or an industrial museum (and I very much hope that they do, occasionally, do all of those things), would they not be in danger of making similarly ignorant comments? I am sure that I do. And do I always read the signs in such places? No, of course not. Sometimes I am interested, sometimes I am not. If I have visited the National Gallery, it may be because I want to see the works of art (and it usually is), but it may be because I just fancy spending some time in a nice setting. I don't necessarily want to learn about the techniques of Constable, or the relevance of Monet. And if people want to visit zoos, want to pay the money which enables zoos to exist, but don't really care whether what they are looking at is a sugar glider or a fruit bat, then, really, is that such a problem..?

And because this thread does read a little like an article in The Daily Mail decrying the state of the world today, can i just say that the overwhelming majority of zoo visitors that I experience are good, decent people, who know how to behave themselves, who want to learn a little - or more - about the animals, and who keep their children in check.

And it's a bit rich for "Red Panda" to claim to spend "four hours" at the red panda enclosure at Chester (really? Really?) but then to moan about parents with pushchairs who have the temerity to "dawdle". It's a zoo, not a branch of Sainsbury's! Surely a bit of dawdling can be permitted in this environment. As I'm sure has been said before, it is, after all, the people with push chairs, rather than the earnest young men and women with notebooks and an intimate knowledge of the difference between Ailurus fulgens fulgens and Ailurus fulgens styani whose admission fees enable zoos to maintain themselves and develop.

 

[Shorts]

Fantastic, sobering and thoughtful post Sooty.

I vote we close the thread now. Any more moans are gonna seem a little petty and mean spirited after the points you've made.

 

[Paix]

And because this thread does read a little like an article in The Daily Mail decrying the state of the world today, can i just say that the overwhelming majority of zoo visitors that I experience are good, decent people, who know how to behave themselves, who want to learn a little - or more - about the animals, and who keep their children in check.

Now that did give me a chuckle, but I do agree, not all zoo visitors are like the individuals we have complained about on here. For example, I get great pleasure from the fact that some people learn at the zoo.

In reply to other posts, I have never been sworn at by a visitor at the zoo, and I am thankful that I havent, but most who I attempt to educate are forward in learning, and are usually really good with me.

 

[Gigit]

And because this thread does read a little like an article in The Daily Mail .........

Not that tired old cliche

I think this thread is a bit of harmless fun and a release for those of us who have, for whatever reason, been irritated by some of our fellow zoo goers.
As for visiting museums, galleries etc, that's a matter of personal choice. I haven't looked, but maybe there's a museum forum where posters are still sighing about somebody at the Museum of London last year who announced that she'd never need to see another flint axe. If so, I hope that they, and Zoochatters, will carry on sharing their experiences.

 

[Mr Saxon]

Up at Belfast today -

Group of kids from Summerscheme running amok just as I came in and were all so eager to see the Favela tigers...WTF are those???

Also some lady beside me watching the chimps encouraged her young daughter to throw in a banana for them! I was so angry. Even more to myself as I didn't do anything or tell them not to, I felt so useless!

Yet again people walked past the Red Pandas without so much as a glance. Apart from one person who exclaimed "Ugh. Look at that rat!"

How the hell can you call a Red Panda a rat???

Oh and parents if your kid asks you a question and you don't know the answer then say "Don't know" instead of trying to deduce everything and get most of your conclusions wrong.
Today Kabus was pacing up and down one side of his enclosure then went and had a swim in the water for about 5 minutes before returning to his pace. Several kids asked "Why is he doing that?" Fair enought question so I decided to evesdrop, see what they came up with 5 of the six parents asked shrugged and said one of the following:
He's bored
Very angry that he hasn't gotten his dinner (at 1:30pm)
Needs to pee
Is to hot in that fur coat (then decided to suggest taking it off to the tiger himself)
The only sensible answer was "I think he's protecting his territory because the wolves (Wild dogs) are next door and he's making sure they don't come near him. Or he could be waiting for his keeper."

In future just say "don't know"

BUT in all fairness I actually kept running into a grandad and his grandchild at some exhibits, most notably the mixed paddock viewing platform. The kid was asking him such things as why they are all in the same exhibt, why the fence was so far away and why the doors to the indoor house were open. The old man was brilliant in explaining and answering these questions and I met them up at the Cheetahs, elephants and the Sun bears. Hats off to you whoever you are because you saved the day from being filled with rather pointless answers or observations.

Oh and biggest fail of the day. Standing by the Emperor Tamarins. Two chavs (Belfast styled) approch
"What's in there?"
"Looks like....*counts fingers*....racoons.
*they both walk on.*
Literally facepalmed myself

 

[Twiglet2010]

I get really annoyed when Rajang at Colchester is everything but an orangutan! I've heard a teacher with a group of year 1 children say "look kids, look at the orange gorilla" when Orang Forest mentions the word "orang utan" everywhere, and the fact that there's a massive sign saying "Orang Utan Forest" is beside the point!
People who push, shove and barge others out of the way is another thing that winds me up. At Colchester yesterday I was verbally abused and assaulted by another visitor who then went on to threaten to kill me!
I also went to the birds of prey display, where the presenter politely asks people not to leave during the display as it may upset the birds. TEN people at various times left the display and weren't quiet about doing so either!
When I visited Monkey World recently I was watching Hananya's troop outside and Johni and Patricia have balding arms. A woman standing next to me with a friend told the friend that the reason for this was because "their hair falls out when they get stressed, usually when another gorilla is introduced to the group" I pointed out that they are all chimps but the woman said "no dear, they're all gorillas, I know these things you see"
I usually correct people when they call apes, monkeys, but I doubt it has any effect on them at all!
I've taken to writing down "idiot comments" that I hear at zoos and wildlife parks!!! There are also usually some people that are willing to listen if you know stuff about the animals- a friend and I were recently at Twycross watching the orangs have their dinner. Kibriah was in a room on her own and there was a little lad, about 3 years old, who kept asking me and my friend questions. It was lovely, we both went into "teacher mode" and were answering all his questions as best we could.

 

[Red Panda]

I find it a bit upsetting that 'sooty mangabey' wanted to have a go at me, I was sitting on the benches by the Red Panda enclosure, with lots of space for pram pushers to go past without me being in their way. Ive been informed about some peoples attitudes on this site, and I was hoping not to have upset people from the 2nd day of me being a member. All I want is to talk about animals, about peoples experiences at zoos and wildlife parks, not to be upset nor upset.

And I was sitting at the Red Panda enclosure for 4 hours, so I can get a shot of the baby red making her first steps into the enclosure Im a member so I can visit as many times as I want

Christine

 

[taun]

I get really annoyed when Rajang at Colchester is everything but an orangutan! I've heard a teacher with a group of year 1 children say "look kids, look at the orange gorilla" when Orang Forest mentions the word "orang utan" everywhere, and the fact that there's a massive sign saying "Orang Utan Forest" is beside the point!

Well am not surprised considering many people would wonder where the forest was, and therefore might think that Colchester may have placed an unrelated animal in there as well?

 

[taun]

I find it a bit upsetting that 'sooty mangabey' wanted to have a go at me, I was sitting on the benches by the Red Panda enclosure, with lots of space for pram pushers to go past without me being in their way. Ive been informed about some peoples attitudes on this site, and I was hoping not to have upset people from the 2nd day of me being a member. All I want is to talk about animals, about peoples experiences at zoos and wildlife parks, not to be upset nor upset.

Sooty mangabey has a point in the fact that people winge and moan about the 'average' zoo visitor but without them there would be no zoos.

This is not aimed at you but a general thougt, why should people care what a jaguar or a leopard looks like? Just because we know and want to know does not mean everyone does.

 

[Paix]

Hello all,

Oh and biggest fail of the day. Standing by the Emperor Tamarins. Two chavs (Belfast styled) approch
"What's in there?"
"Looks like....*counts fingers*....racoons.
*they both walk on.*
Literally facepalmed myself

Yeah I get the feeling, whilst at Blackpool zoo, a Dwarf Mongoose was called a Furry Lizard. I burst out laughing, and got a few strange looks!

I find it a bit upsetting that 'sooty mangabey' wanted to have a go at me, I was sitting on the benches by the Red Panda enclosure, with lots of space for pram pushers to go past without me being in their way. Ive been informed about some peoples attitudes on this site, and I was hoping not to have upset people from the 2nd day of me being a member. All I want is to talk about animals, about peoples experiences at zoos and wildlife parks, not to be upset nor upset.

And I was sitting at the Red Panda enclosure for 4 hours, so I can get a shot of the baby red making her first steps into the enclosure Im a member so I can visit as many times as I want

Christine

Im sure he did not intend to upset or offend, sometimes comments can be read differently to what the author intended. I believe you are doing fine on your second day, and its nice to see another member so enthusiastic! Dont worry!

 

[sooty mangabey]

I find it a bit upsetting that 'sooty mangabey' wanted to have a go at me, I was sitting on the benches by the Red Panda enclosure, with lots of space for pram pushers to go past without me being in their way. Ive been informed about some peoples attitudes on this site, and I was hoping not to have upset people from the 2nd day of me being a member. All I want is to talk about animals, about peoples experiences at zoos and wildlife parks, not to be upset nor upset.

And I was sitting at the Red Panda enclosure for 4 hours, so I can get a shot of the baby red making her first steps into the enclosure Im a member so I can visit as many times as I want

Christine

Wasn't having a go Christine - just thought it a bit iffy to, in effect, criticise people for walking slowly around a zoo when that is precisely what most of us on this site probably do.

 

[Tig]

Lotsa stuff. And it irritates me more because I'm a docent, and I am there to educate the public, and seeing people who I know are all potential future conservationists doing things like roaring at Big Cats or banging on fish tank glass is so disheartening.