Humans aren't the only creatures feeling isolated in the time of COVID-19. At the Sumida Aquarium in Tokyo, spotted garden eels are too. And, like anyone trying to stave off loneliness, they're turning to video chats to stay connected to the world — with help from the venue's staff and, if you're keen, from you as well.
From Sunday, May 3–Tuesday, May 5, the currently temporarily closed Japanese tourist attraction is encouraging lovers of marine life to make a video call to the site. Once connected, you'll be able to wave and talk to the tank of eels — more than 300 of them. It's all part of a 'face-showing festival', timed to coincide with Japan's Golden Week. Usually, it's a period of celebration, vacationing and travel, but with the country battling the coronavirus, the focus of this year's festivities is staying home.
If you're wondering why eels might need to see humans waving at them via video chats — or why the aquarium has arranged the event, to be exact — it's all about health and wellbeing. Normally, the long, slender fish poke their heads out of the sand in their tank, saying hello to human visitors; however with the site out of action due to the coronavirus, and only the venue's staff in attendance, the aquatic creatures are becoming more than a little sensitive, wary and shy.
Sumida Aquarium's garden eels inhabit one long tank, with attendees generally spying many, many thin bodies popping out of the sand. In person, it's quite the sight to behold. At present, though, the eels are burrowing instead — which makes it hard for staff to check on them to make sure they're okay.
The aquarium is also eager to ensure that the eels don't forget what it's like to be surrounded by humans, so they don't continue their reluctant ways once the venue re-opens. Although it has been shut since March 1, the Sumida Aquarium is typically rather busy, which isn't surprising given its location: beneath Tokyo Skytree, the towering 634-metre tower that's the second-tallest structure in the world.
If you're eager to chat, you'll need to do so via iPhone or iPad — i.e. via FaceTime — with five email address set up so callers can connect. The aquarium is taking calls from 11am–3pm AEST (10am–2pm in Japan) across each of the three days, and asks participants to limit their calls to five minutes each.
For further details about Sumida Aquarium's 'face-showing festival', which runs from 11am–3pm AEST (10am–2pm in Japan) between Sunday, May 3–Tuesday, May 5, visit the aquarium's website.
Top image: Haya_BS via Flickr.