UK theme park bans Leopard print and Tiger Striped clothing
Chessington World of Adventures: Strange but true - Visitors to Chessington World of Adventures cannot wear animal print clothing on their new safari experience.
From Chad H
Posted September 24, 2013 at 3:06 PM
Hi Guys,
Have a story that is simply so strange I can barely believe it... but it would appear that it is.
Chessington World of Adventures - a Theme Park / Zoo in the London basin has banned guests from wearing leopard print and tiger striped clothing in one of its new attractions - a Safari style trek through an "Open Enclosure" with african animals.
Park management inists that animals have been confused by what they say appears as zebras and Girrafes in the truck, and have responded in some cases by either running away, or by attempting to communicate with the "animal".
Anyone who isn't aware of the new rules can be issued a plain grey boiler suit in order to take part in the ride.
The Guardian has more along with this advice for zoo/safari park visitors
"Possibly the worst thing you could do is limp past the lion or tiger enclosure in a zebra print outfit".
Is anyone aware of any safari type parks or encounters with similar rules?
If you can't wear animal print then I can't go at all! :-)
I didn't realize this attraction was (apparently) the model for Great Adventure's Safari re-do (actually might be the other way around, since both attractions are new this season.) This type of issue does not crop up there (yet.)
I actually posted this news on another site. Given some UK parks' gift of hyperbole and possible publicity stunts..Hello, Thorpe!..the general consensus is that this is another in a long line. However, not knowing much about the scientific aspect of it, it seems plausible to me.
LOL at Kelly's response!
It makes enough sense. If leopard print is seen as a real leopard by the wild animals, it may intimidate.
I agree that this is a publicity stunt. Merlin love an excuse to get their name in the media!
From Phil B.
Posted September 28, 2013 at 4:46 PM
Do captive animals that have never had to elude tigers or cheetahs in the wild even know that these colors and patterns signify danger or predator? Do they surf the net to find out such things when they are not on display at night? Seems to me like too much projecting our own human ability to associate distinguishable variables in appearance, up until the point that the animals can recognize the fact that it is a human walking upright on 2 feet, somehow their logic and reasoning stops at that point. There must be pockets of cheetahs and tigers running around in the wild on their hind legs that none of us has ever heard of or seen. Such nonsense.
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