Whatcha thinking about now?

[EndlessCravings]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

I never let my kids screw around in ANY store,PERIOD. It is not only bad manners,but disruptive to the store staff,and it is NOT their job to handle your kids.

I feel for you Duce,and should something happen despite your warnings,the freaking parents would try to sue the store no doubt.

I work in retail and we have panty tables, it's a little table with just 4 regular legs on it and they're slanted and it has two shelf like things on it that are circular. I turned my back to help another customer and when I came around that area again there was a kid laying on the table. I made him get off and the same thing happened yesterday but on a different table and the kid fell on his face.
Parents come in all the time with their children and never watch them. It's not my job to watch their kids. I don't care if they touch things, as long as they don't break them. I let them stand in the window displays and act like mannequins as long as they don't injure themselves or break the mannequins. It doesn't bother me until I have to intervene. Repeatedly.

[thalassa]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

The loss of one endangered animal in a carefully managed breeding program (which is what you get with well-tended zoos) isn't nearly as important or impactful as the loss of gorillas in the wild from poaching or to habitat degradation for gorillas in general in the wild (and I'm not saying that it isn't important/impactful, just that comparing the bigger picture of these animals being free and in the wild in the first place and that their conservancy status should have nothing to do with their existence in zoos).

I'm not pointing fingers at anyone here, because I think we have a reasonably decent discussion on the matter, but if you read the comments and such on FB and elsewhere, it's a cesspool of stupidity and ignorance. What I find really sad is the response in social media of people that haven't given two ****s about the plight of gorillas (or other endangered species) in the wild or about the funding of zoos to properly care for zoo animals and ensure their safety and the safety of the public as much as possible, but *oh noes* the zoo has to put one down, and everyone is an expert on what *should have* happened.


Although, occasionally, you get some intelligence...like this:

I am going to try to clear up a few things that have been weighing on me about Harambe and the Cinci Zoo since I read the news this afternoon.

I have worked with Gorillas as a zookeeper while in my twenties (before children) and they are my favorite animal (out of dozens) that I have ever worked closely with. I am gonna go ahead and list a few facts, thoughts and opinions for those of you that aren't familiar with the species itself, or how a zoo operates in emergency situations.
Now Gorillas are considered 'gentle giants' at least when compared with their more aggressive cousins the chimpanzee, but a 400+ pound male in his prime is as strong as roughly 10 adult humans. What can you bench press? OK, now multiply that number by ten. An adult male silverback gorilla has one job, to protect his group. He does this by bluffing or intimidating anything that he feels threatened by.


Gorillas are considered a Class 1 mammal, the most dangerous class of mammals in the animal kingdom, again, merely due to their size and strength. They are grouped in with other apes, tigers, lions, bears, etc.

While working in an AZA accredited zoo with Apes, keepers DO NOT work in contact with them. Meaning they do NOT go in with these animals. There is always a welded mesh barrier between the animal and the humans. In more recent decades, zoos have begun to redesign enclosures, removing all obvious caging and attempting to create a seamless view of the animals for the visitor to enjoy watching animals in a more natural looking habitat. *this is great until little children begin falling into exhibits* which of course can happen to anyone, especially in a crowded zoo-like setting.


I have watched this video over again, and with the silverback's posturing, and tight lips, it's pretty much the stuff of any keeper's nightmares, and I have had MANY while working with them. This job is not for the complacent. Gorillas are kind, curious, and sometimes silly, but they are also very large, very strong animals. I always brought my OCD to work with me. checking and rechecking locks to make sure my animals and I remained separated before entering to clean.


I keep hearing that the Gorilla was trying to protect the boy. I do not find this to be true. Harambe reaches for the boys hands and arms, but only to position the child better for his own displaying purposes. Males do very elaborate displays when highly agitated, slamming and dragging things about. Typically they would drag large branches, barrels and heavy weighted balls around to make as much noise as possible. Not in an effort to hurt anyone or anything (usually) but just to intimidate. It was clear to me that he was reacting to the screams coming from the gathering crowd. Harambe was most likely not going to separate himself from that child without seriously hurting him first (again due to mere size and strength, not malicious intent) Why didn't they use treats? well, they attempted to call them off exhibit (which animals hate), the females in the group came in, but Harambe did not. What better treat for a captive animal than a real live kid!


They didn't use Tranquilizers for a few reasons, A. Harambe would've taken too long to become immobilized, and could have really injured the child in the process as the drugs used may not work quickly enough depending on the stress of the situation and the dose B. Harambe would've have drowned in the moat if immobilized in the water, and possibly fallen on the boy trapping him and drowning him as well.

Many zoos have the protocol to call on their expertly trained dart team in the event of an animal escape or in the event that a human is trapped with a dangerous animal. They will evaluate the scene as quickly and as safely as possible, and will make the most informed decision as how they will handle the animal.

I can't point fingers at anyone in this situation, but we need to really evaluate the safety of the animal enclosures from the visitor side. Not impeding that view is a tough one, but there should be no way that someone can find themselves inside of an animal's exhibit.

I know one thing for sure, those keepers lost a beautiful, and I mean gorgeous silverback and friend. I feel their loss with them this week. As educators and conservators of endangered species, all we can do is shine a light on the beauty and majesty of these animals in hopes to spark a love and a need to keep them from vanishing from our planet. Child killers, they are not. It's unfortunate for the conservation of the species, and the loss of revenue a beautiful zoo such as Cinci will lose. tragedy all around.



(from a former zoo employee that worked with gorillas via FB)

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

Reminds me of the ending of "Saving private Rayen" where he goes to the grave of the guy who saved him and asks,"Have I done good things and earned his saving me?"

I saw that yesterday! I put that channel on for "Roots" a few minutes early.

[ThePaganMafia]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

You can't really fault the killing of the animal. I'd rather deal with PETA than the lawsuits and Conrgressional invesitgation that would come out of my animal killing someones child.

People are more and more detached with the real world risk. Everytime an accident happens we make more regulations to make things more safe and lose more freedom in the name of less risk. I am all for risk induced population control. It's also interesting how detached we have become from the natural world in general. Nature is now unnatural. We can only look at it from the other side of the glass.

[iris]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

I rode a bike for the first time in years today.. I never actually learned when I was a kid, so I'm basically starting over. It's a bit embarassing... but I'm sure it's entertaining for people on the road watching a grown woman go up and down the street for an hour with a friend running along shouting encouragements

[Medusa]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

I rode a bike for the first time in years today.. I never actually learned when I was a kid, so I'm basically starting over. It's a bit embarassing... but I'm sure it's entertaining for people on the road watching a grown woman go up and down the street for an hour with a friend running along shouting encouragements

Lol, I was that way when I first got my bike for work commute 2 years ago. I went with a friend to pick up the bike. It was 7pm and first I rode it in the store. Then I rode it around the parking lot because I wanted someone to see if I fell and died.

[anunitu]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

I think they were all laughing Duce,mainly because you kept doing that VAROOOOOM,VAROOOOOOOM..thing and singing "Born to be wild"

[iris]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

Lol, I was that way when I first got my bike for work commute 2 years ago. I went with a friend to pick up the bike. It was 7pm and first I rode it in the store. Then I rode it around the parking lot because I wanted someone to see if I fell and died.

I don't even have a bike, she lent me hers until I get one ^^ turnee out I can't turn sharp corners - I ended up on the sidewalk a LOT. It can only get better

[anunitu]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

I learned to ride a bike at about 7 years old...so there...

[iris]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

I learned to ride a bike at about 7 years old...so there...

Lucky you. I needed glasses, but noone realized that for years. So I crashed into stuff a lot and eventually gave up because it's not really that nice when you can't tell how far away a car (or any other obstacke) is.

[Medusa]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

Oh I learned at 7 and rode till I was in high school. So then like 20 some years later I was back on. I still pedal slow (but only after that one bad accident that left my knee janky). Thankfully my 'commute' is down one street a mile. I only bike around my city. But I can go to the mall, the movies, the gym, the markets. Anywhere! It's a small city.

[anunitu]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

I got my glasses at about 7,they tested us kids in school,they also did hearing tests back then.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

The loss of one endangered animal in a carefully managed breeding program (which is what you get with well-tended zoos) isn't nearly as important or impactful as the loss of gorillas in the wild from poaching or to habitat degradation for gorillas in general in the wild (and I'm not saying that it isn't important/impactful, just that comparing the bigger picture of these animals being free and in the wild in the first place and that their conservancy status should have nothing to do with their existence in zoos).

I'm not pointing fingers at anyone here, because I think we have a reasonably decent discussion on the matter, but if you read the comments and such on FB and elsewhere, it's a cesspool of stupidity and ignorance. What I find really sad is the response in social media of people that haven't given two ****s about the plight of gorillas (or other endangered species) in the wild or about the funding of zoos to properly care for zoo animals and ensure their safety and the safety of the public as much as possible, but *oh noes* the zoo has to put one down, and everyone is an expert on what *should have* happened.


Although, occasionally, you get some intelligence...like this:

I think people tend to get excited about things when they are in their face. Many times I think it's not that they don't care about other issues or aspects but they are so far removed from their daily lives they never register. The habitat for gorillas is a big issue but again when it's not in your face, not an area of study or employment for you people tend to ignore it or not consider it.

Yet when it's in your face and being pushed in the media then it gets pondered.

[iris]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

We had our hearing tested, but noone tested my sight until I started suffering from bad headaches... and not just because I walked into stuff on a daily basis ^^

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now?

I got my glasses at about 7,they tested us kids in school,they also did hearing tests back then.

We got tested as well. I know our grandchildren get partial tests in school now to see if there is a eye or ear problem then referred out.