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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To worry about lions and other dangerous animals escaping at the zoo?

126 replies

climbingquickly · 01/05/2015 17:23

Around the lion enclosures there is an narrow raised walkway that gives you a better view as the top of enclosure is open. You enter walkway via metal gates, it's divided into several sections, each with a set of gates. On each gate is a sign: 'If animal in walkway area, do not enter and alert a member of staff' with a sort of stop-sign featuring a lion on the walkway!! AIBU to think this isn't very safe and means lions could jump out?

Also the rhinoceros kept charging at the fence as if to escape (only a shallow ditch in front of fence)...

Anyone else get nervous at these places?

OP posts:

saoirse31 · 01/05/2015 18:36

I think u only need to worry in the zombie apocalypse when the zoo keepers let them go so they won't starve in cages / to wreak revenge on irritating zoo customers. And even then you'll probably be more worried about the zombies anyway.

FadedRed123 · 01/05/2015 18:36

Also a good idea not to wear certain animal prints on your clothes, e.g. Zebra strips, if you are visiting big cats area, especially if you have a medical condition that causes you to limp........

saoirse31 · 01/05/2015 18:43

and if u r with a big group stay in the middle.

NorahDentressangle · 01/05/2015 18:46

Zoo animals are well fed, they might also be lonely, bored, frustrated, but they are well fed.

So I would think they will run for the hills, not stop to dine on fully clothed human.

limitedperiodonly · 01/05/2015 18:46

Not a zombie apocalypse saoirse31 but I was so sad at the bit in The Stand where the keepers in NYC zoo had died or fled leaving all the animals locked up. They'd starved except for one chimp who was smart enough to store food and water but because he was so close to humans genetically, he was dying of the weaponised strain of flu unleashed on the world .

I was a lot sadder about that than when some of the humans died.

maras2 · 01/05/2015 19:10

Good Lord.I'd never even thought about this < mind you I've never been to a zoo >.Now I can't seem to get it out of my mind.Thanks so much climbing you messer of heads.

LaLaLaaaa · 01/05/2015 19:15

I used to be a zoo keeper and the most fearsome animal that ever escaped was a red panda if you've ever seen a red panda you'll know they are not particularly fearsome.

Zoo keepers are trained in safety and zoo licensing standards call for particular safety measures to be in place. For DWAA (dangerous wild animal act) species it includes certain number of doors and locks on enclosure.

You've got much more chance of being hit by a car than being attacked by an escaped zoo animal.

Stampysladygarden · 01/05/2015 19:18

I used to sell ice creams in a zoo when I was a student. There are lots of protocols about what to do should an animals escape. It's massively unlikely to happen. Occasionally a meerkat could get out but I didn't see that as a massive threat to me.

keepsmiling2015 · 01/05/2015 19:27

Bring mil or dil or dc's. You'll be grand

maras2 · 01/05/2015 19:28

stampy I'd shit myself if a meerkat came through my cat flap.

limitedperiodonly · 01/05/2015 19:30

Meerkats are sinister little fuckers though

Bunbaker · 01/05/2015 19:32

"I was once at a zoo when a chimpanzee escaped"

That happened to us at Chester Zoo about 6 years ago. The zoo reacted very quickly and made sure all the visitors were safe. We were stuck in the Jaguar House for about an hour while the zoo keepers made sure that the chimps were contained. They then evacuated the zoo.

I was impressed with how seriously they take safety concerns.

hackmum · 01/05/2015 19:33

Oh, this is the sort of thing I worry about, OP. Who said that fears had to be rational?

HoneyDragon · 01/05/2015 19:37

I've watched extensive documentaries on Madagascar and am not concerned about Big Cats. It's the Penguins that'll get you.

VivaLeBeaver · 01/05/2015 19:38

When I was a kid a lion escaped from the circus in my town, actually several lions. A boy was cornered by a lion in the allotments and eaten. It happens.

At our local zoo they now have polar bears. There is a sign on the gate for the keepers which says "do you know where the Bears are".

OrlandoWoolf · 01/05/2015 19:38

The penguins are fine. They just want an easy life. Just as long as your plans don't interfere with their plans.

Bluestocking · 01/05/2015 19:40

LaLaLaaa, did you work at the Nature Centre in Birmingham? Their red pandas escaped, started making their way towards Moseley, and then got distracted by some trees at the top of Cannon Hill Park.

limitedperiodonly · 01/05/2015 19:43

Who would win in bout between a chimp and a jaguar? Interesting.

I think I'd put my money on the chimp. You'd get better odds and I think a chimp could do it. Massive upper body strength, low centre of gravity and very impressive teeth. No claws though. Flexibility and body weight probably equal. But chimps are very intelligent.

At least as difficult to call as Mayweather vs Pacquiao.

VivaLeBeaver · 01/05/2015 19:46

small article about the lion attack

It says the boy was savaged but he was definitely killed.

limitedperiodonly · 01/05/2015 20:02

You must be right VivaLeBeaver.

This week's episode of Critical, which is a SkyOne drama set in an A&E trauma dept, featured a man who'd been set on by three pitbull type dogs while defending his own dog.

He was disembowelled amongst another major injury to an artery in his arm and minor ones like his fingers being bitten off while he was trying to defend himself.

Though I've described the plot, it honestly wasn't that sensational or madly anti-dog. It just made me think that maybe when dog attacks resulting in death have been reported then it's been under, not over played.

I really like dogs btw and have never encountered a mad one and don't hate them.

Sorry for mentioning Critical. It is telly shit but I love it

EdithWeston · 01/05/2015 20:17

Pages 33 and 34 of this news bulletin transcript describe the attack on Stephen Jackson-Parr, age 10, on Bonfire Night 1975.

CuddlesAndShit · 01/05/2015 20:23

Viva

OP the thought never crossed my mind until we went to Chessington Zoo a couple of years ago. We walked past the lion enclosure and the male lion chased the rather reluctant female lion into their den, obviously feeling a bit fruity.

By the time we had walked to the other end, he had obviously...errr...finished his business one minute wonder and let out the most terrifying roar. I have honestly never heard anything like it, it was so loud and primeval and seemed to vibrate through your entire body. I was absolutely shitting myself to be honest, it was pure animal instinct and I just felt like prey must do. All I could think about was how powerful he was and I just wanted to get out of there.

Obviously, he stayed safe in his enclosure and I lived to tell the tale drama queen

VivaLeBeaver · 01/05/2015 20:25

It was still talked about when I was a kid. I went to school with some of the other Jackson Parr kids. His family still live in town.

VivaLeBeaver · 01/05/2015 20:27

I guess permanent zoo enclosures are generally safer than circuses though. And there's not many circuses with big cats anymore. If any?

Mrsfrumble · 01/05/2015 20:52

This happened at our local zoo yesterday, about five minutes after a visiting class from my son's preschool had left. It was a hot topic at this morning's brunch play date, let me tell you!

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