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[JoshuaFH]

So I went with my family to Detroit's Zoo, the biggest zoo in the state I believe, and I had a really fun time.

The exotic animals were nice. I got to see baboons, gorillas, giraffes, and everything else you'd expect.

One very odd thing though, everything was kept in a cage, aquarium, or exhibit of some sort, except for two animals who were allowed to scamper about the main paths with all the visitors.

The first, these supremely odd black squirrels. I'd never seen squirrels like these before. They were normal squirrels, except completely black, as though someone took the time to rub coal on each and every one. Really adorable how they weren't afraid of humans, they'd scamper right up and take food out of your hand.

The second, and much more odd, were these peacocks. These huge colorful birds were just wandering around completely without supervision or restraint of any kind. One even had some little baby peacocks following it, it was so cute! All the visitors knew better than to bother them, but those adult peacocks are big enough to seriously wail on a small child if one were to ever lose it's temper.

I just thought I'd tell you guys.

[Cthulhu]

Yeah, there are peacocks roaming the Cincinnatti zoo without enclosures too.   There's probably not much of a risk of them attacking someone if they let them run around like that.  If they were dangerous, they'd keep them locked up for fear of a lawsuit, you'd think.

[Kagus]

Black squirrels have been rather common in a couple of the places I've lived.  They're generally a little bit larger than the other squirrels, and have those little tufts shooting up from the tips of their ears, making the ears look huge.

But then again, we also had the occasional black fox...  Maybe there was a coal mine somewhere around there...

[Ampersand]

Over in San Antonio, they have the Fossil Rim drive-through zoo type thing, where the Ostriches are known for thrusting their heads into stopped vehicles to get at any food you might have in your hands.

Not really an exotic creature, though, particularly not in Texas. Back in the late eighties, or early nineties, someone got this brilliant idea that the next big wave in America was going to be Ostrich products (eggs, meat, feathers, etc). So now there are Ostrich ranches all over Texas, and a lot of ranchers kicking themselves.

[Vester]

I think they let the Peacocks wander around in the Manila Zoo too, though I haven't been there for years, so I may be wrong.

I'm more worried about people hassling peacocks than peacocks hassling people. They seem pretty mellow.

[Duke 2.0]

 Due to the red tape of the area, the Washington National Zoo, all creatures are restrained. Except for this one exhibit in the invertebrate house. There is a corner with a quarter-circle of enclosed dirt and a bunch of spiderwebs. Upon closer inspection, this knee-high dirt container is the only thing keeping people from walking into what I assume is an exhibit and not just a place the cleaning staff refuses to clean.

 And black squirrels seem to appear in small families around these parts. Mostly smaller brown squirrels. Only seen a red squirrel once deep in West Virgina.

 Also, if you ever visit DC and see a sign for that National Aquarium, don't visit. It is a depressingly small basement filled with a few tanks full of rather average fish. I think it had a crock pit, but that was the only redeeming feature.

[Dragooble]

funny. i believe i went to a zoo where peacocks were roaming around as well. i guess it's just the fad with zoo's. also in the Maine wildlife exhibit in, of course, Maine, there were peacocks in enclosures even though there are no peacocks in Maine. I seem to recall it was because the owner liked peacocks.

[Emperor_Jonathan]

See any Kangaroos?

[JoshuaFH]

Yeah, there was a trail we were allowed to walk through that had kangaroos without an enclosure. They could have walked right up to us if they wanted to. They were all asleep though, since they're nocturnal.

[Sensei]

They let the Peacocks run amok in the Woodland Park (near Seattle) zoo too. Those things assholes- one actually successfully tackled a full grown woman for her bag of Cheetos.

[Duke 2.0]

They let the Peacocks run amok in the Woodland Park (near Seattle) zoo too. Those things assholes- one actually successfully tackled a full grown woman for her bag of Cheetos.

Welcome to the animal kingdom. Their king is jerkassery.

[Emperor_Jonathan]

Yeah, there was a trail we were allowed to walk through that had kangaroos without an enclosure. They could have walked right up to us if they wanted to. They were all asleep though, since they're nocturnal.

What type of kangaroos, Grey? Red?

[JoshuaFH]

These kind:



Did you know a kangaroo can jump 25 feet, IIRC?

[Emperor_Jonathan]

Oh man, watch out for the Kangaroos.

The reds can fuck your shit up.

The Greys can only fuck your ship up slightly less.

(Probably. 25 feet is pretty far, they could but I doubt they would often.)

I was walking through the bush at night one time, and I stumbled across a big Grey Kangaroo. It got up on its tail and put out its paws in a boxing stance.

I ran.

[Randall Octagonapus]

I actually went on vacation to Saugatuck Michagin this summer and there were black squirrels