The lockdown has been a pleasant surprise for nature. The skies are a bit bluer, trees a bit greener, and animals a lot happier. This tenure is full of glimpses of animals reclaiming the spaces we stole from them.
The animals kept in captivity, however, don’t have it this easy. They are torn between getting used to humans and now, not remembering them at all. One such incident happened in Tokyo’s Sumida Zoo, wherein the garden eels are forgetting that humans even exist.
Hence, the authorities have appealed to the people of Japan to talk to the eels via video calls.
明日開催❗️
人がいないことに慣れてしまったチンアナゴ。近づくだけで穴に潜ってしまい、飼育スタッフが「元気かどうか」の確認が難しく困っています。
みなさんの顔見せで、人間の存在を思い出すようご協力ください🙇https://t.co/gz7ldy743F#お願い人間のこと思い出して#休園中の動物園水族館— すみだ水族館【公式】 (@Sumida_Aquarium) May 2, 2020
The problem first showed its signs in April. Whenever the zoo officials walked past the glass boxes in which the eels live, they would hide by going under the sand.
They are sensitive creatures, and going under the sea bed meant two things- either they were searching for food, or they are hiding in self-defence. The zoo officials are quite sure it’s the latter.
Also Read: These Lockdown And Social Distancing Memes From Around The World Are Simply Gold
This poses as a new problem for zoo officials. With such behaviour from the eels, it is very difficult to keep a check on their health.
To remind eels that humans are friendly, the zoo has organized a “face-showing festival” for three days starting May 3rd. People can now call the eels, but via FaceTime only, in one of two slots (each lasting five minutes) for the next three days. Five devices will be kept facing the glass aquarium, and people can look at the eels and talk to them, in a low voice.
This measure is likely to remind eels of human existence apart from the zoo officials, since the zoo has been closed to visitors since March 1. The zoo will likely be closed for one more month considering the current pandemic.
Rarely do we get a chance to help other animals, and so when we do, let’s do it well.
Image Credits: Google Images, The Guardian
Sources: The Guardian, Quartz, News18
Find the Blogger: @ShreyashDhumal3
This post is tagged under: Japan zoo, Facetime, humans exist, video call, forget humans, lockdown, eels self defence, coronavirus, covid-19
Other Recommendations:
In Pics: All The Cool, New Phones That Were Launched While We Were In Lockdown
