Tragic mushrooms?
These chicken mushrooms Laetiporus sp. grew from a tree in a part of the zoo that very few people see. I see almost everywhere, and I didn't discover these mushrooms until they were done releasing their spores and beginning to decompose. As far as the fungus that produced them is concerned this is exactly as it should be--the mushrooms have fulfilled their purpose.
People who like to eat wild mushrooms will see this as a tragedy, a missed opportunity. One of the most sought-after kinds of mushroom, allowed to wither on the tree, instead of grilled or fried and in some ape's greedy belly.