Yeah I have my fingers crossed that she will while I'm there She's been named Xena as in the warrior princess an intern confirmed it for me on friday No unfortunately not :-( I'm not usually there at weekends though I may need to be on one of the next few weekends!
I can accept Xena :O) Aw shame would be good to meet you. Will you be there in September - I'm due another volunteer stint for a week.
Yeah I think it suits her! Ahh no I finish on 23rd aug if all goes to plan! Intending to come down either sun 11th or 18th now cos I'm a little behind! Yes it would be awesome to meet a likeminded felid fan
I can see her thinking there. The trunk/proboscis-like nose could be attatched like a vacuum pump onto you and suck your blood. See? A bit far-fetched maybe but kids are imaginative.
My all time favourite zoo experience happened at Chester Zoo in the bat cave, I still laugh hysterically every time I tell it!.. No offence meant honestly But a 'local' man wearing a track suit was with his young daughter about 10 years old entered the bat cave and the daughter quickly got distressed. By the time she got to the exit she was crying hysterically, we had been in there some time so left with them..... Walking in front of us the man was saying repeatedly (complete with accent) 'calm down, calm down' I was literally rolling on the floor laughing my partner who did not get it thought I was having some kind of fit..... But all I could hear going off into the distance was 'calm down calm down'
Hehe that gave me a giggle ^^ Someone called Ninja (the male serval) a painted dog today - I was very unimpressed (for lots of reasons!) Then someone else went off on one about how he was pacing because he was bored out of his "tiny mind"....I don't know how zoo workers deal with the general public sometimes! Glad I don't have to yet!
I think in the interests of keeper and staff sanity they should be allowed to select one sacrificial member of the public and use them to appease the 'stupidity god' One of the Education team was telling me how a few weeks ago a family approached her in the afternoon complaining bitterly that "they had seen nothing in this zoo, do you actually have any animals" So she said "when you came in right at the entrance did you go past the elephants?" they replied "oh yeah we saw them" and then she said checking out the fact that they had very small children with them "did you take the kids through the monkey house after that" they said "oh yes we walked through there too" then she said "where did you go after that?" and they replied "into the playpark for the kids!" I think you just have to smile sweetly sometimes and hide the fact you have just 'vitually' slapped them about the face in your imagination!
I think this is a viable option for zoos - someone put it in their suggestion boxes? Maybe under "good staff management"? Pretty much my brain everytime someone says anything or asks me stupid questions too On a different note...to update everyone: I have now been allowed to change to the servals. So please don't go hunting for me by the bear enclosure and then complain that I'm as elusive as Franka because I shall be happily observing the servals instead! But still Mon-Fri and for another three weeks! Also very proudly watched ninja catch a wild mouse a day or two ago..that's about all to report. Oh and the baby black rhino is very adorable!
Just a note - I'm intending to pop down one of the next couple of sundays to try and see a few more non weekday people! So anyone intending to visit either this sunday or next sunday let me know
So I heard two different people call the servals - lemurs yesterday! And I've lost count of the number of times I've heard lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah or jaguar. Nevermind that the zoo doesn't even have leopards of any sort! Also the assumption they are babies or juveniles is regular - or that Ninja is the mum and xena the baby. On the brightside, xena came on heat so fingers crossed! And their interaction is lovely to watch!
My crowd were once being surveyed in the zoo, and upon being asked what the highlight of the visit was, my stepmother promptly responded with 'leopard' - in reference to cheetahs - which was somewhat embarrassing. I watched them being fed on Sunday, and heard many guesses. Most of the 'family experts' I witnessed seemed to settle on them being Lynx, Ocelot, or "dunno".
Oh dear - that's a bit awkward! Yes I do hear lynx and ocelot quite often - least it's closer than lion!! I mean seriously? I keep hearing "oh it's just an overgrown moggy" now that makes me fume! I want to clip them round the head with my clipboard! Just a moggy!! *shakes head* The "family experts" are hilarious - today somebody told their kid that "auntie [someone] says it's a serval - she saw one of these in the rainforest in Borneo when she was just walking along" I had to stifle giggles! The "auntie" was there and was like yes it looked just like this one and pointed at Ninja! The things you hear eh? I like being nosey and listening - it makes me giggle sometimes!
What's a moggy? Is that what you guys call a cat? She was probably talking about the Sunda Clouded Leopard (and how lucky of her to have seen one) and probably decided that the Servals looked similar enough for them to be the same species. And I'm my family's "family expert"! For most things environmental anyway. ~Thylo
Yes but thylo I'd imagine you usually know what you're talking about seeing as you know more about animals than the average zoo visitor! Ahh okay - shame then that she probably didnt realise what she was seeing :-(
I know the five weeks are up, but I'm thinking of passing through Chester on Friday if anyone's interested in meeting up?
