![]() Nancy adds that the newborn offspring of breeding animals are also sometimes withheld from the public. By utilizing animals that most visitors never see, staffers can put together a live creature presentation without emptying any displays in the process. Some of these so-called “off-exhibit” creatures are used for educational purposes, including occasional public shows and private birthday parties. “Animals live behind the scenes for a number of reasons,” Terry says. But you can bet that at least a handful of specimens will be kept from view, stowed away in backroom terrariums or birdcages. Purchase a standard zoo ticket and you’ll get to see most of the critters in their collection. LOTS OF ZOO ANIMALS AREN’T ON PUBLIC DISPLAY. Respect the animals’ homes and you’ll have a more enjoyable visit. It should go without saying, but the posted rules are there for a reason. Nancy also told us that she’s personally had to discourage patrons from, among other things, throwing food at gorillas and dropping various objects (money, juice boxes, etc.) into the alligator pool. Keep your eyes open.’ Each area will then make the call about how serious the situation is and whether they should call security.” “We’ll say ‘Hey, I saw these people disturbing the animals in this area and they’re heading towards your area. “Depending on where they are, we might alert the next area down the line,” Nancy explains. Additionally, zoo staffers will often use their radios to tip each other off about problematic visitors. Security guards are on hand to remove those who ignore repeat warnings. ![]() When we see anyone doing something that endangers our animals, we do follow you.” If a keeper asks you not to stand your child on the railing of an animal’s enclosure, do not put them down and then wait ‘till we walk away. “If I ask you not to tap the glass, don’t tell me it’s just for fun and you can tap the glass all you like. “Read signs and listen to keepers,” Bob implores. ![]() When mental_floss interviewed Bob, Terry, and Nancy*-three keepers who work at a zoo in the southern U.S.-and asked them to name their biggest job-related pet peeve, all three cited rule-breaking visitors. Not only can these bits of currency get swallowed, they’re also liable to contaminate an animal’s water supply. “I think you would be annoyed.” He adds that tossing coins-or, indeed, anything else-into an animal’s enclosure is another big no-no. “Imagine if somebody’s knocking on your living room window all the time,” Bruce Beehler of the Milwaukee County Zoo says. While it might not seem like a big deal to human patrons, this can really stress out captive creatures. Glass-tapping is a particularly common offense. Unfortunately, some people ignore these notices. Using clearly marked signs, zoos warn their guests not to do certain things that might harm the animals. ![]() KEEPERS WARN EACH OTHER ABOUT GUESTS WHO DON’T FOLLOW THE RULES. By the way, if one of those bamboo-eaters should die because of some human error, China will administer a roughly $400,000 fine. ![]() shells out $550,000 annually in order to keep two adult pandas. Across the pond, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. For example, the Edinburgh Zoo is currently paying £600,000 (about $740,000) per year for its resident pair. During this period, an annual payment has to be made-and the going rate is sky-high. To put one of these rare, in-demand critters on display, a foreign zoo must lease it from the Chinese for a full decade. The Toronto Zoo, for example, spends $500,000 CDN per year (about $370,000 US) flying in bamboo from a Memphis-based supplier.įood-related expenses are just the tip of the iceberg: China’s government effectively maintains a global panda monopoly. Maintaining a fresh supply is a costly endeavor, especially for zoos located in cooler areas where bamboo doesn’t grow as well. Since these plants don’t offer much in the way of nutritional value, pandas need to consume about 26 to 84 pounds of them every day. Famously finicky, they dine almost exclusively on bamboo. But the big mammals also come with an extremely high price tag. Giant pandas are one of the biggest draws for zoos that manage to snag a pair. ![]()
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