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If only you were in the danger you thought you were in....

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  • #1

    If only you were in the danger you thought you were in....

    I went to one of my favorite places for the first time in over a year.....the zoo.
    My favorite animal there are the cheetahs. I have loved them for nearly 15 years, watch any tv specials I find out about, etc.....so today made me for humanity.

    The enclosure isn't huge but it's reasonable. Roughly rectangular, with a building on a short end and tall fence around all of the rest (with secondary smaller fence 3-4' away on the outside perimeter to prevent people from sticking hands and things in) with the exception of about 1/3 of a long side where there's a viewing platform raised up above ground level. It also has a ditch down to the base of it. So you're talking at least 15' height to clear anywhere.

    Yet, the number of comments about "that CAN'T be safe!" and "they could jump that!" - I lost count. One mom actually walked away from the area in a huge huff because it was "so DAN-gerous!"

    Please, spare me. For one, cheetahs were domesticated in ancient Egypt, so *if* anyone was to actually be within reach of one of the cats, they're not in immediate immense danger. Provided they don't act like idiots. But more so, Cleveland's not the best zoo in the country (I can't wait to go back to San Diego), but it's pretty good. The cheetahs have been in that location for over 20 years. There has not once been any issues. Granted, the one cheetah took offense to some of the screeching/grating voices at immense volume and fainted a swipe and hissed a time or two. But there was 4' of fence between and anyone with even 1/2 a brain knew it wasn't for real. Heck, I wanted to smack that lady.

    I did mention to one (of the seemingly more receptive) guy that cheetahs "are runners, not jumpers." He insisted that they could get a running start and still get out. That's like saying a football player would be a good swimmer because he's used to moving fast in the water from playing outside in the rain.

    That doesn't even begin to rant about the number of "leopard" and "jaguar" comments from ADULTS standing right in front of the info sign. *sigh*

    At least I got some nice photos.
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  • #2
    I never got why anyone would think that? Wouldn't the zoo take percautions and make sure the fence was tall enough to keep the kitties in?
    How was I supposed to know someone was slipping you Birth Control in the food I've been making for you lately?

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    • #3
      I'm a zoo lovin gal myself. I live within reasonable distance of the Fort Worth Zoo and I love love love it! But I see this crap every. time. I go.

      There is absolutely no way for anyone to get hurt by an animal in its enclosure unless that person goes completely out of their way to be a dumbass. Of course I'm reminded of that story about the little brat that climbed some sort of fence to get to some meerkats at a zoo, got bitten, and then all the meerkats had to be put down for rabies testing.



      On the other point - I also hear the idiots every time I go telling little Johnny "Oooooh look at the leopards," while standing right in front of the CHEETAH sign.

      Damned morons.
      Let it go... Daisy, let it go... Open up your fist
      This fallen world... Doesn't hold your interest...
      Doesn't hold your soul... Daisy, let it go
      -Switchfoot

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      • #4
        Quoth Reyneth View Post
        For one, cheetahs were domesticated in ancient Egypt, so *if* anyone was to actually be within reach of one of the cats, they're not in immediate immense danger.
        Great, now I've got a picture of an Ancient Egyptian with their skirt-thingie in Redneck Flannel, a Safety-Vest Orange top, and a pair of cheetahs named Dale and Tony stuck in my head.
        ...WHY DO YOU TEMPT WHAT LITTLE FAITH IN HUMANITY I HAVE!?! -- Kalga
        And I want a pony for Christmas but neither of us is getting what we want OK! What you are asking is impossible. -- Wicked Lexi

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        • #5
          You bastard...I just -ed my monitor!
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          • #6
            Wait, the meerkats had to be put down to test them for rabies?

            But yes, I have heard that cheetahs are like a strange cross between a normal cat and a really big dog. As long as you treat it right and don't act like a threat (or prey), it'll be quite friendly.

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            • #7
              One thing I hate more than anything is people being uneducated and jerks about animals.

              Quoth Reyneth View Post
              That doesn't even begin to rant about the number of "leopard" and "jaguar" comments from ADULTS standing right in front of the info sign. *sigh*
              Reminds me of a time I went to a friends cabin in a small town. We saw a 4th of July parade with all kinds of vehicles, and animals. Someone came by riding on a donkey and a woman next to me says to her little boy, "Look at the horsey sweetie." The guy riding the donkey just glares at her and asks "Yer from the city aren't ya?" The look on her face was great.
              wouldn't lube work better in a f***ing machine?
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              • #8
                Isn't this way for markings:

                Cheetahs: dots

                Leopards: Small circles

                Jaguars: Big circles

                ?
                "We were put on this Earth to fart around, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise." -Kurt Vonnegut

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                • #9
                  Quoth Gawdzillers View Post
                  Isn't this way for markings:

                  Cheetahs: dots

                  Leopards: Small circles

                  Jaguars: Big circles

                  ?
                  I think so, but I could be wrong. Then again, these people can't read a sign that clearly says, "CHEETAH." Do you really think they're going to be able to look at markings and tell?
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                  • #10
                    Quoth Chromatix View Post
                    Wait, the meerkats had to be put down to test them for rabies?
                    Yep, five of them. Ah! Found a link to the story.

                    So yeah, people going out of their way to be dumbasses at the zoo = never a good thing.
                    Let it go... Daisy, let it go... Open up your fist
                    This fallen world... Doesn't hold your interest...
                    Doesn't hold your soul... Daisy, let it go
                    -Switchfoot

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                    • #11
                      Quoth JustADude View Post
                      Great, now I've got a picture of an Ancient Egyptian with their skirt-thingie in Redneck Flannel, a Safety-Vest Orange top, and a pair of cheetahs named Dale and Tony stuck in my head.
                      And thanks to YOU, I now have that same image in my head.

                      Unseen but seeing
                      oh dear, now they're masquerading as sane-KiaKat
                      There isn't enough interpretive dance in the workplace these days-Irv
                      3rd shift needs love, too
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                      • #12
                        I went to the zoo in Stuttgart last year; they have a cage with, I think, Snowleopards, and the couple had a cub. Cute little thing (well, not so little; old enough to run around on its own), and still small enough to get out through the bars.

                        The zoo didn't worry much about it, apparently; they'd put up a sign:

                        "To our visitors: the cub can, at the moment, still leave the cage. It will, however, return to the cage in regular intervals, as that is the only place its mother can nurse it. Please do not be alarmed, as the cub will not attack humans. However, please do not approach and attempt to pet it or feed it. Thank you."
                        You gotta polish a memory like a stone. Chip off the parts that remind you it was just a game. Work it until it's indistinguishable from any other memory.

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                        • #13
                          Quoth Soulstealer View Post
                          I never got why anyone would think that? Wouldn't the zoo take percautions and make sure the fence was tall enough to keep the kitties in?
                          The flip side of course (and no wonder, knowing SC's as we do) is that a major objective of zoos is also to keep humans away from the animals. Yeah, it's not enough to keep the massive carnivore in, we also need to keep Johnny "But bears LIKE me" McMoron out.

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                          • #14
                            Wait, the meerkats had to be put down to test them for rabies?
                            The only way to determine for sure if an animal has rabies is to dissect the brain.

                            That said, a WILD animal biting a brat whose harassing it is not, to my mind, an indicator that an animal has rabies. Rabid animals usually exhibit a uniform type of behavior that is very distinctive.
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                            • #15
                              Quoth AnaKhouri View Post
                              The only way to determine for sure if an animal has rabies is to dissect the brain.

                              That said, a WILD animal biting a brat whose harassing it is not, to my mind, an indicator that an animal has rabies. Rabid animals usually exhibit a uniform type of behavior that is very distinctive.
                              It wasn't that they thought that the meerkats had rabies, but it was a safety precaution that was put in place. And had to be done because the brat's parents refused to have her go through the rabies shot protocol. (Which she would have had to anyway if they had been found to be positive!) That story made me sick then, and makes me sick now!

                              Oooops - lol. I was talking about this at my 2nd job tonight and the manager there's brother used to be a night watchman at the zoo. Many times the animals have gotten out. Nearly exclusively at night and usually the monkeys or apes. Luckily most of them were in the building/inside part of their enclosure so the watchmen would just shut them in until the keepers could come and return them back to the right place. While gorillas can be dangerous, at least it wasn't ever any of the big cats!


                              Cheetahs have closed spots and "tear markings" are very lean and built a little like greyhounds.
                              http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...l/DSC_0096.jpg
                              http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...l/DSC_0117.jpg

                              Jaguars have "rosettes" and a heavier build. They are closer relatives to leopards but are from South America while leopards are from Africa.
                              http://ks031.k12.sd.us/Amazon/Group%209/carnivores.htm

                              Black leopards are also called panthers - but they are still spotted.
                              http://animals.nationalgeographic.co...s/leopard.html

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