Safety Rules and Suggestions For Zoos and Hiking, Pets, Farms, and In the Wild

London's Soft Play and zoos for all ages include Belmont Farm.

Belmont Farm, Mill Hill, N W London. England. UK. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

If you are taking children out, there are many opportunities. We visited this London location where you have the opportunity to visit either a soft play centre with two areas, one for the under threes and another for older children, plus an animal watching and petting area. 

You can see the animals on the slopes beside the car park. You have to pay to get up close and alow your children to feed them with the animal feed which you buy.

You can buy a combined ticket for both the farm and the soft play but must visit the animals area second not first, for health reasons. Indoors, beyond the pay desk, between the soft play areas for different ages is a cafe seating area where the parents sit and chat or look at their phones. 

Maybe you should think about that when visiting both kinds of attraction in the same day, at different venues.

That is a regulated situation. 

Hiking and Backpacking Worldwide

With summer coming, many families, with and without children, go hiking. I go with a hiking group to a different country every year. I was astonished to see a child from the age of three happily running up and down slopes which were challenging for the elderly, middle aged and less fit adults.

Warnings I have seen about behaviour hiking in the wild include not to go hiking when menstruating. Nor if you have diarrhea.

Not to leave open sandwiches and litter. To cover bleeding wounds.

I read that bears can smell humans, food and blood from six miles away, some say as far as twenty miles, depending on wind and other conditions. Animals with young will react to anybody getting too near, or moving suddenly.

Bears can be attracted by sandwiches in cars, or food left behind at camp sites.

Planned Pooping In The Woods

Some areas allow you to dig a 'cat hole' with a trowel and bury toilet paper or wipes. Other national USA park and other places require you do gather both animal and human waste in a poop bag, which you would double wrap on a longer journey than a four minute walk away from home, and take it home or back to base in a city to dispose of it appropriately where permitted.

Pets and Precautions

Worldwide customs and regulations and reactions vary. For example, dogs on leads, or off leads, and breeds allowed. In vehicles, different cities, countries, ski slopes, avalanche regions.

The reactions from dog owners and forensics seem to be that even good-natured dogs can turn bite or jump when alarmed, especially if they are sick or are protecting their newborns. After an attacking dog is put down sometimes it is discovered that they have brain tumours. Evidently strong dogs can kill adults. Precautions suggested are that is safer for both the humans and the dogs, not to allow dogs alone with babies, and children, nor in beds? And to keep your human heads and necks away from the animals' teeth?

Useful Websites on Animals, and Safety

Belmont Farm

https://www.belmontfarm.co.uk/

Zoo Safety

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/04/06/zooamerica-pennsylvania-wolf-enclosure-toddler-parents-charged/89491970007/

Hiking and Backpacking

The classic book which has been reprinted and updated many times is available from Amaxon and many camping gear shops.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Shit-Woods-4th-Environmentally/dp/1984857134

There are numerous videos entitled how to poop in the woods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaOKKzpCjgA

Pets & Precautions

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15728483/Pictured-dog-mauled-teenage-owner-death-father.html

Hiking & Bears Smelling You

https://scienceinsights.org/how-far-can-a-black-bear-smell/

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Blue Tongued Skink (pet lizard) seen on my travels

 

Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I had not planned to see a lizard the size of my hand, or the size of a human lizard, on my holiday overseas. The blue tongued skink, like a lizard, was in a friend's house. I was staying there for two nights. No escape. Australians and New Zealanders call the creatures blueys. 

You never know what you will see travelling to visit a friend. People I have known for years.

The lizard is kept in what looks like an acquarium with a sliding glass door.

This creature is fairy sleepy during the day. Unlike the geckos we had on the walls indoors and outdoors, in Singapore, which, after a rest, watching you, would suddenly race off.

Greek Geckos

I recall the tiny ones on Greek islands at hotels with remote bedrooms. I was scared shocked, when the little things leaped off the wall onto my bedding or pillow, disappeared under bed clothes. Another alarmed me when it jumped out of a shoe under the bed, then disappeared behind or into another shoe.

Other guests and hotel management could not understand why I was alarmed. They attempted to assure me, 'They are harmless.'

How To Use NLP To Conquer Fear

Having studies NLP (neuro linguistic programming), I know to talk to the creature, indirectly to my own brain, telling it, 'Don't worry, the big lady human won't hurt you.'

However, the little lizards are reminders of larger ones.

Komodo Dragons

Komodo dragons, (don't let predictive text turn then into kimono dragons) are much larger, are another thing. Tourists are taken to see them, on Komodo Island, in Indonesia. They are reptiles, monitor lizards.

My host saw them on a tour with a guide, from about ten feet away. 'You don't wander around on your own.'

Whilst a small blue tongued skink might be held in the hand of its owner, Komodo dragons, like crocodiles and alligators, are unfriendly more like monsters. I was going to call them unpredictable, but as any paranoid tourist can tell you, their nastiness is predictable. 

You might see a Komodo dragon from a more safe place, in a zoo, in the UK, USA, Singapore or elsewhere. Check your national zoos and those of the countries you are visiting.

A blue tongued skink, however, makes its trusting owner happy.

Wikipedia informed me that these short legged creatures are slow and friendly. The pets are nicknamed the dogs of reptiles.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-tongued_skink

https://www.quora.com/What-do-Mediterranean-geckos-eat-Can-you-keep-them-as-a-pet?top_ans=214911130

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How to keep your family and group safe travelling to zoos, safari parks and theme parks

Today I read in the newspapers about two accidents. A man fell off a cliff having hiked to the summit and taken a photo. He fell and did not survive. Another story was a worrying time for zoo officials and onlookers, with a safe end. A child in Adelaide, Australia, dropped a mobile phone into a panda cage and climbed in to retrieve it - fortunately the child was fine. 

What can be done as prevention and cure? 

Prevention

1 Phone Design - Lanyards?

Redesign mobile phones and covers with matching lanyards like camera straps in the old days.  If a neck strap is too dangerous, a wrist strap, or at least a connector, like a dog lead which can be stretched and retracted.

2 Hat Design - Hoods?

School hats should have regulation fastening so you cannot lean forward and drop the hat, nor can it be blown away in the wind. A jacket with an attached hood saves loss.

2 Safety Briefing

Brief children, and adults, in groups, that if anything is dropped near an animal enclosure or fairground round you must call staff, not enter. 

3 Helplines

Put signs with a helpline number or button to summon staff for help in an emergency - and ban from the premises for the entire group or family if this is misused. If you are a guide or in charge of a group, keep the emergency number in your phone.

 4  Barriers

Build enclosures with a double barrier and or fenced dip so that anything dropped falls in the gap away from animals and anybody from outside climbing in is away from animals and machinery. A glass wall would be a good solution. 

Can't be done? Yes, it can. You can make barriers so that you cannot climb in, an others so you cannot drop anything inside. 

Glass Barriers

You have glass walls in oblong aquariums for fish. Many places have tunnel aquariums which you walk through. Snakes are displayed in glass enclosed boxes like big aquariums. 

Ditches

What about ditches? Singapore's Night Safari has invisible ditches or valleys around animals. 

As for glass cleaning, atriums in modern buildings have systems for washing the glass.

Transport

Another system is, instead of having children walk around a zoo, take them in a vehicle such as a train.

Useful Websites

News of Incidents and Accidents

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11527761/Railwayman-59-plunges-300ft-death-taking-photos-wife-Saturday-hike.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11527963/Adelaide-Zoo-panda-enclosure-Wang-Wang-Fu-Ni-locked-boy-went-phone.html#newcomment

ASIA

Chiang Mai Night Safari in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Night Safari, Singapore

Zoo Taiping in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia

AFRICA

South Luangwa National Park in Mfuwe, Zambia

Lanyards and Holders (Search words: expandable or extendable. Sort by price.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SPIRAL-KEYRING-set-Assorted-Colours/

https://www.amazon.sg/PLATA-Extendable-Leash-Walking-Goods

Jackets with attached hoods

For example

https://www.amazon.sg/Grant-Stretch-Jacket-mustard-Medium/dp/B08DD2SNFF/

US Zoo Safety Precuations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_environmental_and_occupational_health_in_zoos

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A to Z of Attractions by type - template list of places to visit for your next trip: from airports to zoos

I have made a listing for research for future trips. You may wish to use this

Airports

Aquariums

Art Galleries

Beaches

Boat trips

Caves

Cemeteries

Churches

Cities to see

Coach Tours/Guides

Crafts

Factories

Factory tours

Factory Shops

Flights

Hiking Trails

Historic Homes

Homes of Famous People

Hotels

Modern Buildings

Monuments

Mosques

Mountain views/hikes/trails

Museums

Music

Old quarters - drive through

Old quarters - pedestrian

Pedestrian Areas

Reconstructions

Restaurants

Ruins - Cypriot/Greek/Roman

Ships

Shipwrecks

Shops and Shopping Malls

Skiing

Sports and Stadiums

Statues

Synagogues

Theme Parks

Trails

Underwater - viewable from overhead 

Underwater - viewable to divers and snorkellers

Viewpoints

Villages to visit

Vineyards

Walking Tours

Water Parks

Wineries

WWI

WW2

Zoos

>>>>

Personal 

Covid-19 updates

Packing list

Visas

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_museums

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g190372-Activities-a_allAttractions.true-Cyprus.html

https://wikitravel.org/en/Packing_list

Author

Angela Lansbury is a travel writer. She and/or her next of kin who she stayed with have lived in England, USA (Connecticut, Maryland on the borders of Washington DC), Israel, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland). 

Countries visited on press trips seeing hotels, museums and city tours: Belgium, Corsica, Finland, France, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Portugal, Spanish island Tenerife, Switzerland, USA various states and cities and museums, UK: England, Wales, Scotland; airlines Virgin, cruises, cargo ship with passengers.

Countries visited privately: Australia, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia (when it was part of Yugoslavia); Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand, San Marino, Sardinia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Vietnam). 

Airlines: British Airways, RyanAir, Singapore Airlines, Virgin.  

Trains: GWR. Virgin.

Motoring:

See Ostrich Eggs, eat Ostrich Eggs and Enjoy Ostrich Farm Visits

My ostrich egg is a souvenir from South Africa. The ostrich egg is very heavy and hard. I wonder how the about to be born ostrich gets out. you can see ostriches in zoos and bird parks. In addition you can see dedicated ostrich farms.

My friends have visited Ostrich farms in Oman in the Middle East. Another is or was in Malaysia in Asia. One man was offered a ride on an ostrich for his small daughter. I think an ostrich is a flightless bird, so no danger of it flying off, although they can run rather fast.

Useful Websites

Feeding ostriches with bananas

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMJoszBJq-o

About the Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.

Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

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Zoo Reviews : Write Parody Animal Reviews For Fun Whilst Travelling + Cute Photo Captions

Problem
How to brighten up a visit to a zoo, or even sitting on a park bench, or seaside bench watching the birds.

Answer
Spoof  Zoo Animal Reviews
Oregon Zoo and Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens have been doing this. What a great idea. Amusing.

An amusement for teens and tourists. Rate the animals or species at a zoo. Some zoos have started this and got attention. Create a game for the family or a school trip or charity event. Give a prize or vote for the best caption or review.

Fun Photo Captions
You could even do it to brighten up captions on your holiday snaps. I find it easier to write an advertisement than a review.

Cat : Self-cleaning.
Cockroach: Pre-historic model.
Dog: Noisy.

Fox in garden in London, England. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Elephant: Difficult to find a large enough parking space.
Fox: Runs well.
Magpie: Smartly dressed.
Rabbit: Buy one, get twenty free.
Robin: Very friendly.
Snake: Handle with care.
Spider: Useful for decorating corners.

Spider. Useful for decorating corners. Available in brown, black or mixed. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

The old jokes are the best: Zebra - horse designed by a committee.

Use it as NLP to get over your fear and disgust - perhaps not.

USA
California Academy of Sciences
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Monterey Bay Aquarium - @MontereyAquarium
Oregon Zoo - @OregonZoo ; rateaspecies
Tennessee Aquarium - @TNAquarium (On the Chatanooga riverfront)
http://www.tnaqua.org

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-5504799/Zoos-post-hilarious-Amazon-style-reviews-animals.html

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Informative and amusing. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Writing a travel book

If you are on an Apple computer you can write an ebook using the latest version of the software, get split screen and download onto your laptop the ibooks system and write a book and insert music and videos. I am sure you can do the same if you are not on Apple.

Why would you want to do this in a book? Apparently children nowadays expect that from books. So if you wrote, for example, Zoos of America for kids, you could add videos of animals and sounds.

I am writing a novel (including Europe, Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Paris and England, the USA and South Africa and Australia) which I am turning into an ebook. I want to add national anthems of the countries which my hero and heroines visit, songs they play.

Angela Lansbury B A Hons, travel writer and photographer, author, English tutor and speaker.