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

People who absolutely don't care about any of the animals, leading me to wonder why they are there in the first place. I hate when I'm trying to observe an animal's behavior, and just completely at peace (you know? lol) and then the woman next to me saunters up with her cell phone and starts blabbing obnoxiously about her nail appointment?? I don't care! Talk somewhere else!

 

Obviously, people trying to "interact" with the animals by basically harassing them are at the top of my list.

But also, people who are inconsiderate of others. Not all zoos have space at every exhibit for hundreds of people--with that in mind, don't bring your stroller to the front glass pane and then act irritated with me when I try to politely maneuver around it.

 

Indeed, a pet peeve of mine-as I happen to be the unfortunate owner of a rather big set of feet, with a certain attraction to stroller wheels...
And why visitors seem to think that barricading bottlenecks (like underwater shark tunnels or nocturnal house exits)with various strollers and their matronly owners is a good idea is still way beyond my understanding...

 

@Sun Wukong: The National Aquarium in Baltimore, which is one of the more highly regarded North American aquariums, bans strollers completely. Brilliant move!

Also, a friend of mine visited a zoo in Seoul last year and said it was the worst zoo experience of his life. People constantly banging on the glass, visitors rushing up to the big cat exhibits in order to scare the animals, feeing candy and who knows what to the primates, and many tigers crammed into the same cage. Zero respect.

 

my story is not irratating but just plain wrong for any visitor to do!

last month at cotswold wildlife park a group of chines students from oxford were found lobbing stones at a viewing window at the lion enclosure, guess what happened next? the window cracked luckily the visitors wernt in any danger but the chinese students were ordered to pay the damage and ive actually been told they have now been exported back to china.

 

Is it a brilliant move? If it weren't for families visiting - and paying to visit - most zoos would have severe financial problems. And the child in the buggy (or stroller on your side of the Atlantic) is the zoo fan of tomorrow. As is always the case, it's not the buggy / stroller which is the problem, but the person using it - inconsiderate people will find ways of being inconsiderate, whether they have buggies or not. The same can be said of mobile phones, Ipods... in of themselves they're pretty neutral, but when ****** get hold of them they'll be moronic.

In many German zoos you can hire these excellent wagons which you can pull along with your children (and stuff) in them. These have the added advantage of tipping up from time to time, throwing your children on to the floor.

 

Sorry - I don't understand why you object to the Dad's answer (assuming that it is a white tiger at which they are looking).

 

Here are just some of my "stupid people tricks" that I have seen over the years.

1. People who come to the office for a refund becasue there are "no animals in the zoo", when according to their receipt they have clearly walked through the zoo at warp speed and did not stop to see anything at all.

2. Parents who let their kids climb the trees, throw balls back and forth, wear those sneakers things that turn into skates, all of these things are posted as not allowed, but who reads signs?

3. People who leave their dogs in the car as they wander the zoo. We patrol the parking lot and call the authorities if there is a dog in a car when it is hot out--or even warm out. WE also will break vehicle windows if an animal is in distress.

4. People who change their darling babies on a bench and leave the dirty disgusting diaper right there on the bench.

5. People who help their kids pee against trees instead of walking to the bathrooms.


There are tons more but I am getting depressed thinking about these kids as our future.

 

Once I was at the Fox exhibits at the LA zoo and one of the keepers was inside the exhibit cleaning it. Then one kid screams out "Why is there a man inside there?" The funny thing is that the keeper was a she, not a he. I don't know how the kid confused her with a he, when she clearly had long hair and was wearing super short-shorts. It didn't bother me at all, but I'm sure it bothered the keeper because she turned around to look at kid and the parents since all they did was laugh.

 

Thats the parents fault not the kids, if they are not taught that all these things are wrong then you can't blame them while they are still kids.

 

Today at Chester a visitor was throwing at a rhino, When I told him about it he said he was trying to get it to move so that he could take a photo. He was aged 60-65, someone whom I thought would have had more sense.

 

what was he throwing

one thing that is annoying and i have only seen it at one zoo is the big cat bit with the jaguars and ratels and such its thatevery one pilies in to these little like inlests in the safty barrier to look and the no one can see and as i am only small i can weave through them but tht is the only place i have experiances it and the windows aint big either so not much room

 

He was throwing small stones and twigs.

 

Heh Heh Heh, have to keep that in mind...

 

BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Boy fed zoo reptiles to crocodile

now this is a shocking example of disrespect to zoos and animals

 

Very shocking.
"At one point, he tried scaling the outer enclosure himself to get to "Terry", the 11ft (3.3m) saltwater crocodile."
Hmmm I had a dark thought there... Lol
Hope they do sue the parents.

 

The thing that irritates me the most is when your at the Gorilla enclosure and someone says as the gorilla is looking through the glass "Look how bored and depressed he looks". Gorillas are not bored and depressed especially in Congo Gorilla Forest at Bronx Zoo that is just the expression there face looks like. If you saw a gorilla in the wild it would probably have that same expression. It Does not mean they are depressed people!

 

You get this alot with Orangutans aswell, interesting is how many people think Chimps are good to watch (only because they are more active than the other great apes).

 

True, people do say that a lot with Orangutans. Great Apes do naturally have that sad expression. Animals don't have the same expressions as people and that's what people don't understand.

 

You are right taun, hopefully these kids will learn how to act in a public setting from their teachers and other adults who have a better grasp of manners. I stand corrected.