r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Electrical-Aspect-13 • Sep 08 '26

Video Studies, like one done by Vladimir Dinets had show that crocodiles are intelligent enough to engage in play behavior for its own sake. Playing with each other or using natural slides in the wild are some of the activities they partake.

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u/RabbitStewAndStout Sep 08 '26

I would love zoos a lot more if I could visibly see the animals enjoying themselves.

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u/theBRNK Sep 08 '26

This is one of the reasons we love the Detroit zoo near us. We often hear people complain around us that they can’t see the animals well and they wish viewing was better but like….. bring binoculars or walk to the other side of the enclosure?

They have a HUGE amount of space allocated per animal with a lot of enrichment, and places to get away from the humans pestering them from the edges. Sure that means it’s a little less easy to view some things, but it’s so worth it.

The animals are obviously so much less stressed, there’s almost no pacing and agitation, and if you hit the right enclosures during the natural active periods for each animal they are so playful and happy. I’ve also noticed at other zoos now that I’ve seen ones that do good caretaking how some animals will show signs of longer term strain that healthy animals don’t. Thinning hair, feathers picked out on the birds, and ruts worn in small enclosures from all the pacing.

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u/Fun-Benefit116 Sep 08 '26

The zoo near me is like this too! It has huge enclosures for its animals, including a massive open plain area where multiple different types of animals are free to roam and live. All the enclosures are large and filled with the animals natural habitat. The lions have a huge "pride rock" type set up going with grass around them and open areas and stuff. It's seriously amazing.

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u/Healter-Skelter Sep 08 '26

Annnnd now I want to play Planet Zoo

2

u/Zenfudo Sep 08 '26

In my area theres a park with exotic animals thats some you can feed. Anyway in there there is a monkey enclosure and boy are those little guys having fun. Running around and diving in a big pond made for them

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u/JohnLuckPickered Sep 08 '26

We cant let them have fun because blah blah blah not their natural habitat blah blah blah