An aquarium in Tokyo, Japan, has put out a public appeal to encourage people to video chat their eels after they began to hide from their keepers. Concerned they're starting to see humans as a threat, the keepers say the eels are forgetting what humans look since the aquarium closed to the public because of Covid-19.
Tweeting the ‘urgent request’ this week, Sumida Aquarium explained that their eels usually see humans every day and despite being wary by nature they rarely hide in the sand when visitors approach. Having now not seen any humans other than their keepers for weeks, they need to be trained to see humans as non-threatening again.
‘They have started forgetting about humans,’ Sumida Aquarium tweeted. ‘Garden eels in particular disappear into the sand and hide every time the keepers pass by.’ As a result, it’s become difficult to monitor their health.
‘Here is an urgent request’,’ the statement continued. ‘Could you show your face to our garden eels from your home?’. Creating a two day event from the 3-5th May, which they’re calling the ‘face-showing festival’, the aquarium has set up five tablets facing the eels tank which users can connect to using iPhones or iPads via FaceTime (sorry, android users).
When the video calls start, they’re asked to wave and talk to the eels – but not raise their voice to keep the eels calm. Achieving tons of support online, the plea has started a trending hashtag #PleaseRememberHumans and many responses. '"When you gaze at the garden eels, the garden eels gaze at you". Understood. I’m happy to take part,’ one Twitter user replied.
The aquarium has set up five tablets facing the eels tank
‘I never regretted my Android phone this much before,’ another added.
The festival will occur during the Golden Week holiday in Japan, where many people who would normally travel are forced to stay at home given the countries state of emergency in tackling Covid-19. It seems then, it won’t just be the eels that are happy to have some outside contact.
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