They are only “book smart.” Not street smart.
Being a native New Yorker (Brooklyn), I can attest to the fact that we city-dwellers don't hob-nob with creatures more wild than the next-door dog or cat, LOL. My exposure to exotic flora and fauna was limited to what I saw at the Bronx Zoo - and when I was a kid in the 50s/60s it was a very nice family-friendly place to be.
That being said, I think, as a youngster, I'd be able to tell the difference between a tiger and a raccoon. ;-)
Of course, I was blessed with a Dad who was born and raised in the mountains of Vermont (way before the liberals took it over), and we made regular trips to visit family at his home town of Montpelier/Barre.