A zoo in the US, which had to shut down because of coronavirus, is asking children to write letters to its lonely, caged creatures
It's not just people who have caught the cabin fever. With the coronavirus pandemic compelling everyone to stay indoors, animals are feeling lonely, too. A zoo in Missouri, the Dickerson Park Zoo, posted the following message on its Facebook page this week: "Do you have a favourite animal at the zoo? Here's an at-home idea for kids of all ages."
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Pics\Facebook
The zoo urged its little visitors to reach out to its animals by penning letters dedicated to them. "Maybe share what you're learning from home or what you have learned about a particular animal or country. Let's stay together while apart," added the zoo, in a move that is sure to promote animal welfare while keeping the stir-crazy young ones at home busy. Joey Powell, the marketing director of the zoo, says they have been receiving letters by the dozen.
A child named Laney was the first to write a fan mail to her favourite animal, the golden lion tamarin—monkeys that get their name because of their impressive manes resembling a lion's. Her letter read: "I love your gold skin. You look like a cute orange fluff ball. I like how you look like a lion and how having twins is common. I have a twin sister. You always brighten my day." She signed the letter with, "Your friend, Laney." Another child named Xavier, aged 5, wrote an adorable ode to giraffes. "You have tails that can wiggle, heads that are big and necks that are super-long. If I was going to colour a picture of a giraffe, it would be red."
Dada's got your back!
A father in China has created a 'safety pod' designed to keep his infant safe from the virus
Illustration\Uday Mohite
Parents will go to any lengths to protect their children from harm. Shanghai resident Cao Junjie, 30, may have beaten other dads in this game, though. Junjie refashioned a cat carrier to make a sealable pod for his two-month-old.
The custom-built pod that he has created has an air purification system to keep his baby from harm's way during the coronavirus outbreak. It also has an air-quality monitor displaying the concentration of carbon dioxide inside. "Because of the epidemic, I spent a month making this baby safety pod for my kid. It can provide a safe and comfortable environment for the baby," the father told Reuters.
A sweet roll
A bakery, poking fun at the corona-sparked toilet paper hoarding, has rolled out cakes modelled after toilet paper. Needless to say, the cakes are flying off the shelves too. Pic/schuerener_backparadies, Instagram
Lady pays heavy price for 'coughing prank'
A 35-year-old woman, identified as Margaret Cirko, has been arrested for allegedly coughing on about $35,000 (R26 lakh approximately) worth of food at a Pennsylvania grocery store this week, in a "very twisted prank", amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Man held for chasing neighbour with sword
A man has been accused of grabbing a 76 cm-long sword and chasing his neighbour, who asked him to turn down his music, the police in Manchester, New Hampshire, said. The accused, identified as Benjamin Layland, allegedly got upset with the request. He has been charged with criminal threatening.
Corona helpline is driving police mad
The Berlin Police this week, begged citizens to refrain from asking frivolous questions, related to the corona outbreak, on their emergency phoneline. Since the lockdown, people have been calling them with several queries, including whether they could have beauticians come to their home, or if they can hang out with friends.
Hairdresser's 'novel' corona-shield is a hit
An enterprising Netherlands hair cutter has devised an unorthodox way to both practice social distancing and stay employed amid corona business closures—she has created a hazmat suit out of an umbrella. A video of her disease-fighting measure has racked up over 2.8 million views and 93,000 shares on Facebook.
Priest live streams mass with Facebook filters
An Italian priest's live-streamed mass on Facebook has gone viral after the religious leader accidentally left the platform's AR filters active, causing him to appear in various cartoon disguises. Paolo Longo, who is the parish priest of the Church of San Pietro and San Benedetto di Polla in Salerno province, later had a good laugh about it himself. He posted: "Even a laugh is good."
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