Published 21:38 IST, April 3rd 2020
Sloth explores Texas State Aquarium, meets dolphins as it remains shut for visitors
A sloth, that got to visit Texas State Aquarium, and have an interaction with dolphins which has been closed to the public during the nationwide lockdown.
- Entertainment News
- 3 min read
As zoos and aquariums across the world have been shut down, employees have taken to arranging field trips for some zoo inhabitants to visit other animals. There is a fortunate sloth, that got the opportunity to visit an aquarium which has been closed to the public during the lockdown. The Texas State Aquarium recently took their sloth Chico to meet dolphins at the Gulf of Mexico exhibit. Such field trips act as enrichment activities for the animals.
The Texas State Aquarium has shared the photos of the interaction on Facebook, which shows dolphins Liko and Schooner looking extremely thrilled. They were excited to see the unexpected visitor who had come to see them outside their enclosure. However, the three-year-old Chico seemed to be more interested in sleeping, rather than looking at the amazing dolphins.
The Texas State Aquarium shared the astonishing pictures of the personal meeting that took place between the sloth and the dolphins and it has been doing rounds on the internet. The video has garnered over 10,000 shares and more than 7,000 reactions. Netizens are all in praise of the animals and have showered a host of comments.
One person said, "Was Chico asleep the entire time? Love this! Thank you for bringing us a few smiles and some good laughs!" Another said, "Wow! Great photos - the dolphins are so expressive!" While another user said, "What fun enrichment. These pictures are amazing." While other users thanked the people at the Aquarium for sharing the pictures. A user said, “That is a great photo of a dolphin looking through the glass at another animal who is hanging upside down watching the dolphins swim.”
'Play-dates for animals'
A spokesperson for Texas State Aquarium reportedly said that the zoo often arranges play dates and field trips for animals. They added that some of their most popular animals, sloths and dolphins, got a chance to see each other while they were temporarily closed. They have another sloth, Xena, but on that day, she was more interested in sleeping than meeting the dolphins.
They also added that their dolphins have had the opportunity to meet several other animals over the years, including baby gators, an African serval, a red-tailed boa and others. They're almost always very curious about the other Aquarium residents. The dolphin Liko was even inspired to attempt an upside-down sloth impression, trying to imitate the sloth.
Updated 21:38 IST, April 3rd 2020