1. Respect All Forms of Wildlife
Do not yell, call, shout, or scream at the animals. It is very, very annoying. Not just to the keepers, but the animals as well. Rule of thumb, the louder you get, the more they will ignore you anyways.
Do not tap, hit, bang, or knock on the glass windows. The glass at some viewing stations is really thick and the only thing you will accomplish is hurting your knuckles. In other areas the glass is thin, like in the reptile house, and the sound is magnified on the inside. Congratulations, you made the snake move and he is scared and panicked. Now I have to work with this animal and try and not get hurt. Thank you.
Do not throw or drop objects at the animals. Items can cause harm or even death to an animal if consumed. It does not get their attention anyways. Except the chimps, and they will throw, um... special stuff back. If you insist on throwing money, make it worth my while and throw quarters. Gold doubloons would be awesome.
Do not pick the flowers or in any other way destroy the foliage. Please stay on the pathways. We spend a lot of time and effort keeping the zoo lush. There is nothing more sorrowful than beheaded daisies.
2. Do Not Feed the Animals
Every animal has a specially prepared diet. We monitor everything they consume. If you feed them junk food, it can make them very sick. Believe it or not, primates really don't need potato chips or candy. And are you 100% sure the plant you are giving the deer is not toxic? We know the answer is "no" so leave the feedings to the professionals.
3. Do Not Touch the Animals
Unless you are in a petting zoo, do not attempt to touch any of the animals. They are wild animals not pets. Even if they were born in a zoo, even if they were hand-raised, they are not domesticated pets. If the animal has teeth, it will bite. If the animal has claws, it will swipe. Do not even think about putting your hand into a cage. Do not let your children sit on the railings or worse, hold them over the railings.
4. Watch Your Children
We want our zoo to be entertaining and fun, but do not let your children run wild. Not only can they hurt themselves, but they can also hurt others. Do not let them cross under or over barriers and fences. Children are messy by nature. Clean up after them.
5. Read the Signs
Most people know what a tiger looks like, but did you know there are 6 different subspecies? Our zoo has Bengals, but a nearby zoo has Sumatrans. Very similar, but different. Zoos are covered with signs full of information. Names, pictures, facts. Zoos are here to be educational, so educate yourself! You are your own tour guide. If your child ask "what's that?" find the sign and read it to them. Do not just guess, you will be wrong. We will then tell our coworkers at lunch that you called a cavy a jackalope and laugh at you. By the way, jackalopes are not real.
6. Check the Weather
Before going on any outing check the weather before you leave the house and dress appropriately. Wear comfortable shoes. Zoos can be any where from 5 to 500 acres and you will be walking. Bring a jacket, sunscreen or umbrellas. We recently had a school group of 100 first graders and not 1 child had a raincoat/poncho/umbrella and it rained. It was not a surprise shower. The news warned of the storm days in advance. Weather.com is a good thing.
Some awesome signs from the Wellington Zoo in New Zealand -
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