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Physical distancing and limiting social interaction to gatherings of 10 people or less have created a unique challenge for us.
Many businesses and organizations are stepping up to educate, entertain, and to make the most of an otherwise difficult situation.
March 16, the day many of us began sequestering, was the first in a series of live broadcasts from the Cincinnati Zoo in Cincinnati, Ohio. The stream came online at 3 p.m., and according to their online schedule, will continue daily at 3 p.m. EST for approximately 15 minutes.
This was a super fun online experience that I loved and also watched later with the kiddos, forced my better half to watch it, then shared the link with several friends too. Because the videos are recorded, a growing library is available, including one on animal food taste-testing that I plan to watch soon.
The first live feed, pun intended, featured hippos from hippo cove. The feeds are available at the zoo's Facebook page where they are filmed live then recorded on Facebook/CincinnatiZoo.
The stream was filled with the two hilarious hippos, Fiona and Phoebe. Their need for attention was quite funny. The broadcast featured a very knowledgeable trainer, who told us some funny, quirky and amazing hippo trivia. The two hippos are camera hogs and are known to photobomb pictures on the regular.
Other than some lag during the live feed, I had no issue watching from my phone and I truly enjoyed the adorable beasts.
1.Hippos are nocturnal.
2.They stay in the water during the day to avoid the mosquitoes and sun, then get out and move around more later.
3.Also, they can even jump up out of the water like a porpoise would—never have seen that for sure!
4.Their tusks are always growing and self-sharpening. They primarily use their tusks for protection.
5.They eat a LOT, including Timothy hay, squash and melon. In the wild, the hippos instinctively listen for fruit to drop on the ground; however, they have really slow digestive systems, and slow metabolism, which requires them to eat constantly. They are food motivated though the zoo caretakers can get a lot done medically by using treats.
6.Hippos produce around 22 lbs. of waste a day.
7.A hippo's biggest threat is the loss of natural habitat, poaching and growing environmental concerns.
8.A group of hippos is called a bloat.
9.Hippo have whiskers and a more wiry hair on their tails.
10.They can run 18-19 MPH at over 1,000 lbs.
The trainers in the stream were super engaging and excited about their animals, rapid-fire responding to posted questions from viewers and reacting on the spot. It seemed unscripted and off the cuff, another display of their incredible knowledge-base about the giants.
On a positive and philanthropic note, according to the zoo staff, Fiona and the other hippos have begun to bring awareness and love for animals, which in turn affects the environmental conditions for all other species, especially the smaller ones, by raising funds, awareness, and love for both big and small animals.
In October, the zoo hosts a great pumpkin chomping event that the trainer insists is pretty awesome.
More information is available on the Cincinnati Zoo's website.
What would you like me to virtually visit or try out next? Email me at Michelle.J.Young10.civ@mail.mil and give me your suggestions. Your dedicated online review partner—Micki
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Editor's Note: Participating in online virtual tours or livestreaming (nongovernment related) is strictly prohibited on government issued laptops. Take advantage of these events on personal electronic devices.
| Date Taken: | 03.27.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.28.2020 12:48 |
| Story ID: | 385880 |
| Location: | COLUMBUS, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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