Visiting a zoo is like stepping into a vibrant tapestry of life, where enchanting creatures from the wild showcase nature’s wonders. But, hold on a second! While it may be thrilling to observe these magnificent animals, it’s crucial to remember that we’re the guests here, and that comes with responsibilities. Have you ever pondered just how many hilarious signs exist to keep us humans in check? From bizarre warnings about what not to do around animals to downright silly reminders about respecting their space, zoos certainly get creative! You might chuckle to think, “Who needs a ‘Don’t Tap on the Glass’ sign when you can remind visitors of their own humanity?” Buckle up for an amusing glimpse into some of the funniest and most unexpected signs found at the zoo! LEARN MORE
A zoo is a remarkable place. People can see for themselves the magnificent animals that we coexist with on the planet. The zoo is also a place to mind your behavior. You’re surrounded by wild animals that deserve your respect and could potentially be dangerous. Since signs have been proven to prevent humans from acting foolishly, zoos rely on them to remind people what they should and shouldn’t be doing. While some signs might simply tell you to keep off the grass, others can be a bit more creative. These are the funniest signs ever witnessed at the zoo.
This zoo allows smoking which is strange, but what’s even weirder is that people would litter their cigarette butts in an area surrounded by animals. So, instead of just putting up a no smoking or no littering sign, they decided to try a more comical approach.
Informing people that the fish have taken up smoking because of someone else’s bad habits might get a chuckle out of people. This sign might make them less inclined to drop their butts on the ground.
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This sign must have saved quite a few people from finding themselves in an unfortunate situation. But then again, standing below a flock of birds is a gamble no matter what. Seeing this sign might not only keep you moving to be a harder target but also might make looking up that much more daunting.
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All we know is that the last thing you want to do here is stand in the same place for 15 minutes only to look up.
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Tapping on the glass of an animal’s cage is one of the most disrespectful and selfish things you can do at the zoo. People want to see animals move or do something, so they begin tapping on the glass in hopes of getting a reaction.
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People never stop to consider what it would be like if they were in a glass box with others tapping on the glass trying to get their attention. Clearly, the standard “don’t bang on glass” sign wasn’t working, so they added something to make it seem more formidable.
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If you’re at the zoo, you probably want to avoid climbing on any walls or gates, especially near any carnivorous animals. If you fall into the wrong enclosure, you might not be getting out.
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This zoo isn’t so concerned about a visitor being eaten and killed by an animal, but for the animals’ health if they were to eat a human. If you’re not afraid of losing your own life for a stupid reason, at least think about the animals.
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What in the world happened that a zoo needed to put this sign up? Who in their right mind would feed hallucinogenic substances to an alligator? Well, someone on hallucinogens we suppose.
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Not only is it hazardous to get that close to an alligator but it’s also cruel to the creatures. It’s best not to feed anything to a wild animal, especially if it is going to affect their brain chemistry. The last thing anyone needs is a rogue alligator on drugs.
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For some reason, people tend to forget that wild animals don’t smell like humans. Their diets and where and how they live couldn’t be more different from us. Apparently, some people were making fun of how the penguins smell at this zoo which is horrible considering how adorable and loving they are.
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So, to remind everyone why penguins don’t smell the best, they put up this sign that explains they eat raw fish which can lead to odors. Also, they’re penguins.
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Most wouldn’t expect this sign to say “please don’t punch the llamas,” but it appears that someone once punched a llama in the past. Why someone would hit a llama is beyond us, they’re relatively docile creatures.
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We hope that whoever assaulted the llama was disciplined accordingly and never allowed to step foot in a zoo again. The best case scenario is that the llama spat in their face after it was punched. That’s what we call poetic justice.
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We get it, parents want to make their children happy. If that means getting them as close to the animals as possible, so be it. However, that doesn’t mean holding them over an enclosure where they might accidentally fall in.
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Most parents can understand the logic behind this, although there are undoubtedly some parents who might not. We all know what happens when a child falls into an animal enclosure, the animal usually doesn’t survive the encounter.
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As a nice way of cautioning visitors that monkeys aren’t always the cute little pets on TV, this zoo put up a friendly reminder. You can admire monkeys from a distance, but if you try to feed them, they can get annoyed if you stop giving them food.
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This might lead them to bite you and you can end up like Norman. Luckily for the small children, they didn’t put up a sign of an actual hand missing a finger.
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Goats are adorable animals with some impressive climbing skills, but it’s safe to say most people’s first instinct isn’t to pick them up. You can usually pet them, but they grow to be pretty large and aren’t the most sanitary animals.
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Besides, you probably don’t want to pick one up because a hoof to the face would be quite unpleasant. The most confusing thing about this sign, however, is that it’s rule number one. Does it really happen all that often?
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Gorillas are incredibly smart and resourceful animals. So, it’s probably not the best to mock them if you see them at the zoo. Not only is that degrading to them, but it also might single you out as a target.
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They have been known to throw clumps of “dirt” of their own making at spectators. If you see a gorilla winding up like they’re throwing a baseball, your best bet is to hit the deck and hope you aren’t the target.
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We’re not sure who would get close enough to crocodiles to throw something at them, but then again, people are wildly unpredictable. Also, what could someone possibly be throwing at a group of crocodiles, their shoes, watch, hat?
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It’s a little concerning that people need this sign to know not to throw things at wild animals, especially crocodiles. Hopefully, the fear of swimming with crocodiles will make them think twice about harassing these prehistoric creatures.
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Who needs a guard dog when you can have a crane frighten off any intruders? Cranes are relatively large birds with a formidable beak which could do some serious damage if they wanted.
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It looks like this crane has quite the attitude, so they have to warn guests that it’s not the friendliest of birds. The last thing a zoo needs is some little kid getting mauled by a crane. Maybe the crane’s attitude is what got it its own enclosure. Smart bird.
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When it comes to lions, most people’s first instinct isn’t to climb on top of it. Riding a lion is something best left in fantasy books because, in real life, that might end horrifically. Not that lions are necessarily bloodthirsty beasts, but your best bet is to keep a safe distance from them.
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If they haven’t eaten in a while, you might look like a nice meal to them, and you wouldn’t be able to put up much of a fight.
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Just to clarify, molest is just another way to say harass, although it’s certainly an interesting word choice for this sign. Signs that instruct people not to feed the ducks are relatively common. However, this sign might stop people right in their tracks.
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You know more than one person has seen this and wondered what possibly could have gone down that a sign was needed. No ducks were harmed in the writing of this post.
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Even though the bears get fed enough protein by their caretakers, that doesn’t mean that they would mind a little afternoon snack. To avoid being that snack, it’s wise to abide by this sign and not lean over or sit on the wall of the bear enclosure.
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The sign literally says “these animals are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS,” so you might want to follow instructions. By the looks of that bear’s claws, most people probably don’t even go close to the wall.
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We’re willing to bet that people take one look at this sign and don’t need to be told twice not to get too close. Not only are those animals massive, but you probably don’t want their excrement all over you. That’s a sure way to ruin a good day at the zoo.
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These are definitely the kind of animals that you want to admire from afar. Not only can they squash you like a bug, but they’ll poop on you while they’re at it.
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People go to the zoo to see exotic animals that they might not usually get a chance to encounter. However, when walking around and looking inside different cages and enclosures, it’s easy to forget that people are animals as well.
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This zoo wanted to remind its visitors that we aren’t any different from the animals that we pay to see. We’re all living, breathing creatures, so it’s important to treat all animals with respect. Of course, they still had to throw a joke in there.
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In a lion’s eyes, people are nothing more than a big juicy steak ready to be eaten. We’re especially easy prey for them because, without any weapons, our puny bodies wouldn’t stand a chance against their size, strength, and razor-sharp claws and teeth.
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Hopefully, this sign has prevented some people from ignoring the rules and daringly crossing the safety barriers. But then again, if you are foolish enough to do so, don’t complain to anyone if a lion attacks you.
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We can’t be entirely sure what’s going on here, but we’re going to assume that this is a warning sign that there is a slope that leads down to the crocodile enclosure. So, if you are in, or are with someone that’s in a wheelchair, it’s imperative to be particularly cautious.
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The last thing that anyone wants to see is someone in a wheelchair helplessly flying down a hill and into the mouth of a crocodile.
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Timmy is definitely the trouble maker in his raft and waddle. We actually had to look that up. A group of penguins in water is called a ‘raft’ and a group on land is called a ‘waddle’.
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Whatever you want to call these penguins, make sure to call Timmy the naughty penguin and call Betty the good penguin. Hopefully, Timmy has learned his lesson and will rebound next month when the aquarium announces its next penguin of the month.
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This Sea Life London photo proves that it is actually wet inside of aquarium tanks that are full of water. This is good to know because you wouldn’t want to slip on the bottom of the tank while taking a casual stroll.
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Who else feels like this stingray is holding the sign to mock whoever put the sign in their tank? On the other hand, this is a 100% true statement so we can’t be too hard on them.
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Aquariums are designed both for entertainment and education. The staff employed at the aquariums think up ways to make learning about sea life fun for kids. One way to keep kids engaged while learning is to make them laugh.
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This sign did exactly that– brilliantly pointing out to everyone that jellyfish are beautiful, but they also poop through their mouths, which is pretty gross. Now that you’ve read this sign you’ll probably remember this fact for later!
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It’s nice having things that the entire family can enjoy. Even if the film or experience is geared towards the kids, it’s nice to throw in a few laughs for mom and dad to enjoy. Here’s a fine example of an aquarium who threw one out there for the parents.
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Kids will be excited to go check out the crabs downstairs, while the adults can crack up at the double entendre presented here, courtesy of the Aquatic Design Centre.
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People who work with animals tend to have a good sense of humor, don’t they? This sign is probably unnecessary, although we can’t see exactly what its posted in front of at the aquarium.
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However, someone thought it would be funny to create a sign alerting people not to drink the water in the fish tank or other structure here at the aquarium. Knowing kids, now that they’re told not to do it, they probably will.
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When you go to the zoo, it’s easy to get lost and find yourself looking at a common snake sleeping in its den. That’s not what you paid the entrance for, so you might as well get your money’s worth. This sign solves all of those problems so you can see the real action.
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The only thing that’s questionable is the people on their way to the “animals whose odors make you gag” exhibit. Good luck!
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It’s always a good feeling when you leave the zoo with your entire body intact. Unfortunately, not everybody is as lucky, which is why this zoo had to put up this sign. More than likely, someone probably thought it was a good idea to put their hand where it shouldn’t be and left the zoo with fewer digits than when they entered.
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Whatever animal took them probably mistook them for carrots. Hopefully, this sign prevented any further problems!
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If you go to this zoo, it looks like it’s in your best interest to stay far away from the monkey exhibit. Apparently, these primates won’t just throw poo at you, but will actually try to damage and steal your vehicle.
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Although it may sound like something out of the movie Jumanji, this place really exists and there’s a reason that this sign is there. We can only imagine a group of monkeys flying down the highway in a stolen car.
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It appears that this particular zoo is home to a new species that zoologists haven’t even named yet. Since they’re still trying to figure out what this creature is, it looks like they hired an animator to create their best depiction of the animals.
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All we know is that it doesn’t look like you don’t want to get to close because it looks quite ferocious. To us, all that sign indicates is to stay far, far away.
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Sometimes, things just don’t translate the way they should, and that’s exactly what happened with this sign. Punctuation is key, and one mistake can completely change the meaning of a sentence.
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While the sign most likely means don’t feed the monkeys, the English translation makes it sound like you’re doing something wrong if you don’t feed them. Currently, there’s probably a group of tourists standing in front of the sign trying to figure out what they should do.
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Unfortunately, some people don’t understand that tapping at the glass or being loud isn’t respectful to the animals. People will do anything to get the animals’ attention no matter what it takes, even if that means disturbing them.
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That’s why this zoo had to put up a sign to remind visitors that banging on the glass of the gorilla enclosure isn’t the best way to interact with the primates. Remember, slapping the glass is reserved for them.
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When at the zoo, there’s certainly an interesting mix of smells, most of them being different kinds of animal waste. Although it may not be the most pleasant scent, that’s what you paid for!
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However, at this zoo, it appears that the giraffes aren’t contributing to this smell, considering that they have their own bathroom. Although entering it may not be for the faint of heart, we just hope their stalls are high enough to allow for a little privacy.
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As magnificent as many of the animals at the zoo may be, it’s important to remember that they aren’t domesticated and will act on their natural instincts. In that case, a small child falling over the railing probably won’t be greeted by kisses from the lion, but most likely something much more sinister.
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Do you even need a sign in the first place? The picture will probably turn out just as good with your kid leaning against the glass rather than risking your child’s life on the railing.
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When most people pay for admission to the zoo, they expect that the animals are kept in enclosures so they’re not a threat to humans, themselves, or other animals.
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It looks like this zoo has a free-range policy, so the animals are free to roam and visitors enter at their own risk. While this may add some suspense to a casual trip to the zoo, it must be exhausting being on guard at all times.
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Although most people wouldn’t classify tortoises as the most attractive animals as the zoo, this place has to warn people just how “hot” they are. While this most likely means that their shells are hot from the sun, some people might take it the wrong way.
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We’re sure that the tortoises are strutting around this zoo knowing that a sign was specifically made to warn people just how “hot” they are. We bet no other animal in the zoo has a sign like that.
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It’s known that in the wild leopards are known to drag their pretty high up into the trees but in a zoo? Shouldn’t those massive cats be inside an enclosure?
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Some poor soul probably paid good money to see these animals only to get taken out by a falling deer that was left behind by a wild leopard. We’ll take getting hit by a falling deer any day over coming face-to-face with a hungry leopard.
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It’s easy to forget that not all animals take care of their business the way humans do. In the case of the tapir, they can spray their urine upwards of 10 feet, which is a good enough reason to keep your distance.
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Luckily for these zoo visitors, there’s a sign that warns them of what tapirs are capable of. Nobody wants to walk through the exit covered in tapir urine. That would be a hard one to explain.
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When it comes to zoos, the animals are usually there for rehabilitation or to keep them safe. That means that they are usually a top priority and are worth more than any admission ticket.
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Clearly, this zoo cares a lot about their tigers and would prefer for them not to eat children simply because they might be difficult to digest. Hopefully, this sign prevented a lot of parents from putting their children too close to the enclosure.
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One way to keep people from going too close to the tigers is mentioning life after death. Most people might read this sign and decide that they’re not quite done with their time on Earth and heed the warning.
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Then again, that’s only most people. If the words aren’t enough to make you reconsider your actions, then the image of a lion on top of crossed bones should just about do it. If that isn’t enough, you must believe in rebirth.
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Although the message still gets across, it might be a good idea for this zoo to hire an editor to look over work before it’s printed on signs. Signs aren’t exactly the cheapest things to make, so it might be worth their while to make sure that they’re done right the first time.
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The sad thing is that they still hung up the sign anyway. If we saw this kind of laziness at a zoo, we’d be checking to make sure all the gates were locked.