Dolphins Get Very Excited After Sloth Is Placed Outside Their Aquarium Tank
Apr 09, 2020 by apost team
Earlier this month, two dolphins named Liko and Schooner, who live at the Texas State Aquarium, met Chico the sloth as part of the aquarium’s animal enrichment program. The dolphins were so curious and excited when they met their furry friend that one of them did an impression of the hanging sloth by flipping upside down.
Given that dolphins are intelligent mammals, the zoo’s manager of marketing and communication, Seamus McAfee said that it’s typical for dolphins to be curious when it comes to changes in their surroundings, according to Insider. And the addition of Chico — who hung from a branch and seemed to sleep as the dolphins looked on — certainly sparked their interest.
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"Our four dolphins — Shadow, Kai, Liko, and Schooner — often get opportunities to meet other Aquarium residents as part of their enrichment, and in the past they've gotten to meet baby gators, an African serval, a red-tailed boa, and others," McAfee said in his interview with Insider. But whereas dolphins are often excited to meet their zoo neighbors, Chico seemed pretty oblivious of the two onlookers.
“In true sloth fashion, Chico was pretty sleepy when we brought him to our underwater view to meet the dolphins, but he did open his eyes a few times to check them out,” McAfee told Insider.
These animal meetups are part of the zoo’s efforts to continue operations, even while it remains closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The aquarium staff also continues to furnish the animals with other enrichment opportunities along with maintaining basic operations like preparing meals, feeding the animals and looking after their habitats, according to a staff interview with Bored Panda.
Other zoos and aquariums that are struggling due to government-mandated shutdowns across the country have undertaken similar activities to continue engaging with their fans and to generate publicity. When the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden closed its doors to the public, it began an video series online showcasing its animals with digital safaris, according to a press release. The zoo’s first digital safari, which took place on March 16, featured the world-famous, 1,300 pound hippo Fiona, who came to the media’s attention after she was born six weeks premature. In anticipation of Fiona’s livestream, the zoo received an overwhelming response on social media with the zoo’s Facebook announcement reaching over 18 million people and racking up hundreds of thousands of shares. The Texas State aquarium similarly hopes to engage with its fans over the internet by sharing stories like Chico, Liko and Schooner’s play date.
“We’re striving to share as many of these stories as we can with our guests and viewers around the world to keep them engaged, educated and entertained while they’re at home,” zoo staff told Bored Panda. Right now we’ve had the most success through social media posts like this one, along with virtual views of our animals and daily live distance learning programs.”
What do you think about this aquarium's animal play dates? Which animals should they introduce next? Let us know and pass this heartwarming story on to your friends and family members.