Things you get to see & do at the zoo that you would never in the 'real world'

karenZOO

karenZOO

Well-Known Member
Zoo world, does anyone else feel like a visit to the zoo, wildlife park, safari park feel like your in a little world of your own? The things you see, say and do just don't see right out in the 'real world'

Whipsnade :D I am trying to get my nerve back to drive again, havent driven on the road for 18 years, (I do have a full licence and am insured) so when we visit Whipsnade I usually do a couple of laps at the end of the visit (the 10 mile an hour speed limit and the one way system is very reassuring)

In the real world where else would you need to overtake a stationery herd of elephants? Find a doubledecker bus that waits for you to pass, without suddenly pulling out and even gives you a cheery wave! Give way to a variety of animals and take time to stop and watch them on there way!

Colchester zoo :D Have a bad day if you don't get a kiss off an orang utan :p
Talk constantly about mating, watch mating :o give active encouragement on technique, length and style of mating!!!
Try to spot new rock formations to report back to deliberately annoy other zoochatters :D
Enjoy over priced frothy coffee for a papercup while burning several layers of skin off without moaning about the price (usually on a freezing day)
Eat chips from a wooden boat while watching tigers!

Just a few to start :D
 
1) Sit in a 'Yurt' where Cheetahs separated from me by only an inch (?) of glass.
2) Feel slightly uneasy for the human race when people genuinely think that Giant Otters are Seals!!!!!!
3) Get a silly happy smile when the Bush Dogs go for a swim whilst I am perfectly focussed through the mesh and the light is perfect!
4) Watch Wildlife from places I may well never get to acting as if they are actually in that place rather than in the zoo!
 
This thread worries me.
I have problems with the things I have to do in the 'real world' that I would never do in a zoo ;)

Alan
 
gentle lemur said:
This thread worries me.
I have problems with the things I have to do in the 'real world' that I would never do in a zoo ;)

Alan
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Alan,

I work on the premise that it's easier to get forgiveness than permission - so sod them and just be yourself - now where did I leave my Euphonium and Silk Basque.........????:D
 
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karoocheetah said:
Would you believe me if I said the photo spontaneously combusted due to the shockingly scary nature of the content? :)
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Absolutely not and I'm disappointed frankly ... thanks for the laugh though ;)


I once got lightly told off in a zoo for talking about animal sex a little too much to a group of schoolchildren when giving a tour. Ironic, since I'm usually a model of decorum in the outside world!
 
Have a fight with a kinkajou? okay so I didnt fight (but i afterwards imagined myself in the keepers place and the stupid amounts of cowardice i would demonstrate..so that'll do).

Its amazing how skillfull you have to be with a suacepan to work at a zoo!
 
foz said:
Have a fight with a kinkajou? okay so I didnt fight (but i afterwards imagined myself in the keepers place and the stupid amounts of cowardice i would demonstrate..so that'll do).

Its amazing how skillfull you have to be with a suacepan to work at a zoo!
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I have a cracking mental image now :D

mind you last year I did some volunteer work with Cheetahs and for one fleeting moment when cornered against the electric fencing by a couple of the wee devils I thought I was going to have to lamp one of them with a bucket of pooh or a spade - the irony wasn't lost on me and the sight of me laughing like a maniac was sufficiently disarming enough for them to decide that they were just kidding and to saunter off back to the Bush :)
 
karoocheetah said:
Alan,

I work on the premise that it's easier to get forgiveness than permission - so sod them and just be yourself - now where did I leave my Euphonium and Silk Basque.........????:D
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I think I need to get out a lot more (in the real world) :D lol

Pertinax I haven't seen Roland for ages :mad:
Have you ever been to Banham zoo and seen their rat exhibit in the children's barn? I usually avoid these area but was having a look for future trips :D
The rats are in a glass fronted enclosure and there is a metal pipe running into a feed tray and you buy corn for the rats and chickens! WELL I bought some and as the rats were happily munching on fruit and veg I did not think they would take any notice of a bit of corn! It was amazing this huge brown mass of rats descended from everywhere, even made me cringe and freak out. Thank god I have only ever seen singular ones at Colchester or I will now run screaming for the exit :D

Does anyone else find themselves chatting away to zoo animals? Usually to strange looks :D
 
karenZOO said:
Pertinax I haven't seen Roland for ages :mad:
Have you ever been to Banham zoo and seen their rat exhibit in the children's barn?
The rats are in a glass fronted enclosure and there is a metal pipe running into a feed tray and you buy corn for the rats and chickens!
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Never mind, Spring is on the way and the new season's babies will soon be peeping from their burrows..:)

I've been to Banham but not for several years- the Rat exhibit sounds quite new. Good idea too.;) Bristol have exhibits for both Brown and Black Rats in their Nocturnal House.
Colchester don't really need one though, do they.;)
 
karenZOO said:
Does anyone else find themselves chatting away to zoo animals? Usually to strange looks :D
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( I suggest the hard men on the forum look away now)
Yes :o, which Is why I prefer to visit a zoo with like minded companions rather than alone. Hopefully the strange looks you get are from people and not the animals. I won't mention waving to the animals .........:o
 
Hehe, I briefly spoke to a duck at Chester Zoo yesterday, I was telling it I had no food for it because it was staring at me for ages :)
 
AgileGibbon said:
Hehe, I briefly spoke to a duck at Chester Zoo yesterday, I was telling it I had no food for it because it was staring at me for ages :)
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hey I've had to do that before now - I thought it was just the ones by Tsavo cafe that were cheeky as one actually followed me through the door into the cafe (I had to shoo it back out) but then some bonkers Mallard stalked me outside the Jaguar coffee house and started pecking at the rivets on my trousers!!!

Am I just irresistable to ducks or something???? :D
 
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I paid a zoo admission fee to see a sumatran rhino in one day. I wonder how much I have to pay and how much time I needed to spend to see one in the wild.
 
Popping back in to see an orang before I left because I'd promised her I would! Daft? Me? Never!!!

Talking to the animals? Definitely! Just call me Daisy Doolittle :)

My firm favourite for 'only in a zoo' is playing chase with the chimps and then getting annoyed when other visitors spoil our game...:rolleyes:
 
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