Japanese aquarium organise FaceTime festival so their eels will not forget about humans

[Mrs. Badcrumble]

If you've ever dreamed of video calling eels, look no further and mark you calendar from May 3rd and beyond!

The Japanese aquarium, The Sumida Aquarium, urges the public to FaceTime their eels because the eels are starting to forget about humans, causing a few issues concerning their health and well-being.

(...) "hundreds of tiny spotted garden eels have started acting oddly, such as burrowing into the sand when aquarium workers pass by the tank. The aquarium says that’s because the eels have become unfamiliar with humans, as it has been closed to visitors since March 1.

(...)

In response, the aquarium is launching a three-day “emergency event” starting on May 3, known as the “face-showing festival,” with the goal of “not forgetting the existence of humans.” It is inviting people to call the aquarium’s dedicated account through an iPad or iPhone, and once connected, people are asked to wave or call out to the eels (but not too loudly) for five minutes at a time, during two time slots a day.

The Sumida Aquarium's home page (in Japanese):
お願い人間のこと思い出して！「緊急開催！チンアナゴ顔見せ祭り！」 | 東京スカイツリータウン®にある「すみだ水族館」【公式】


A Japanese aquarium under lockdown wants people to video call its lonely eels

 

[Filly]

Dang, wish I had seen this earlier. I was concerned about the eels forgetting about me.

In all honesty I hope they are O.K.