Chapter 34: Chapter 600: Emotional Master Pangpang
"Still want more before finishing? Alright, here's another one!"
Fang Ye smiled slightly and tossed another big pineapple into Dudu's mouth. Dudu also crunched it down in two bites.
"So cute!"
"That mouth is so big! Feels like it could fit a watermelon!"
"Do you like hippos? Haha."
"Sour and sweet, the taste is amazing!"
"Eating the pineapple with the skin on, doesn't it feel prickly?"
The netizens were enthusiastically discussing.
Hippos can be considered the top streamers in the animal kingdom's mukbang category. From apples to watermelons, they devour everything in one bite. Watching them eat is quite satisfying!
It can even be called a kind of enjoyment.
Visitors to the zoo love watching hippos eat the most.
Another highlight is watching how they move underwater.
The hippo exhibit at Linhai Zoo is specially designed for this. You can watch them walk underwater through glass panels, and there's even glass at the bottom of the pool, allowing visitors to look up at the hippos.
After feeding Dudu the pineapple, Fang Ye stood up and said to Lao Gang, "I'll take the hippos out for a walk now!"
"Okay!"
Lao Gang made some preparations and opened the door connecting the animal house to the inner yard.
Dudu hesitated for a moment, looking at the bright outdoors, unsure whether to go out.
At this moment, another hippo appeared at the door!
It poked its head in, seemingly signaling Dudu to come out and play.
Seeing this, Dudu walked out of the water. The two hippos got together, sniffing each other and softly grunting, as if old friends had reunited.
Then the other hippo started walking forward, looking back as if leading the way.
Dudu hesitated for a moment but then followed it out.
"So loving!"
"Are they a couple?"
Fang Ye also walked into the inner yard and introduced with a smile, "This hippo is called Pangpang! Dudu is a female hippo, and Pangpang is a male hippo. They haven't known each other for long, both recently arrived at our zoo, but they get along quite well."
"Wow, is she pursuing him?"
Fang Ye began telling the story of the two hippos!
Dudu is a six-year-old female hippo, introduced to her previous zoo at the age of four, to find a mate for a bachelor hippo who had been single for over a decade.
However, the bachelor hippo, being single for so long, didn't know how to flirt, remaining silent and reserved. After living together for two or three years, no feelings developed between them, and they rarely interacted.
This was also due to Dudu's timid and shy nature. Both hippos were not very social, so no sparks of love could ignite.
Therefore, the previous zoo planned to sell Dudu and find another mate for the bachelor hippo. Fang Ye then bought her.
Dudu, being timid, was not adapting well to the new environment at the zoo. She usually hid in a corner, jumping into the water when she saw the keepers, only showing her eyes above the water to look outside.
Pangpang, on the other hand, was very sociable. When he saw the keepers, he would actively come to the edge of the pool, opening his mouth wide for food.
During his time here, although his weight didn't seem to increase much, his appetite certainly grew.
At his previous zoo, he ate 15 pounds of grass and fruit a day. Now, he eats 20 pounds daily, surprising the keepers with how quickly he adapted to the new environment.
After meeting Dudu, Pangpang would daily stretch his head through the cage bars, softly grunting as if calling Dudu.
Once the cage door was opened for them to go out, Pangpang would enthusiastically approach Dudu.
Dudu, afraid of the unfamiliar environment, wouldn't go out, looking like a lost person. Pangpang then led Dudu to familiarize herself with the hippo house.
When napping outdoors, Pangpang would lie down to be Dudu's pillow.
He was very proactive!
In less than a month, the relationship between the two hippos had improved significantly.
"Childhood friends can't beat a sudden arrival! The bachelor hippo and Dudu lived together for years without success, but Pangpang succeeded in a month."
"Pangpang is quite the charmer!"
"Man, this made me cry! I'm not even as good as a hippo at flirting!"
"The bachelor hippo is just like me, never dated in my youth and now clueless about chasing girls! Watching others in sweet relationships only makes me envious and tearful!"
"My mom has been urging me to go on blind dates and find a partner! In school, I was told to be obedient and not date, to focus on studies. Any signs of romance were nipped in the bud. But now, just after graduation, I'm being urged to date and marry quickly. How is that possible!"
"I'm already tired; dating isn't as fun as playing games."
Netizens, after hearing their emotional journey, couldn't help but express their feelings!
Pangpang walked ahead, stepping on the stones by the big pool, looked back at Dudu, and then submerged into the water. Dudu followed him down.
At this moment, a giraffe stretched its long neck, head peeking over the wall, chewing on leaves, curiously looking over!
Though the giraffe exhibit and the hippo exhibit aren't adjacent outdoors, they are next to each other indoors.
Even with a three-meter-high wall, it couldn't stop the giraffe from peeking in.
Every day, giraffes would stroll around indoors, taking a look at what their neighbors were up to.
It was actually designed this way on purpose. Seeing each other occasionally brings a sense of novelty to both animals, serving as a form of enrichment.
This scene was quite amusing.
Netizens watching couldn't help but wonder what the giraffe's perspective was like.
A picture formed in their minds.
On the vast African savannah, a giraffe stretches its neck to eat leaves, turning its head left and right.
From afar, it sees a herd of zebras running, lions chasing behind, elephants drinking by a distant lake, a cloud of dust rising, and several sightseeing jeeps approaching from afar.
Ah, just thinking about it feels great!
Human curiosity and gossip are also strong. Thinking like this, it seems giraffes are like journalists in the animal kingdom, always gathering information.
Fang Ye smiled and waved at the giraffe, "Hi?"
The giraffe, seeing this, gently bent its long neck down, touching Fang Ye's hand with its mouth and licking it with its tongue.
At this moment, several giraffes came over!
Xiao Shi, just over two years old and three meters tall, could just see over the wall to look at the scene on the other side.
Curiously watching the hippo exhibit, he seemed to be wondering what was happening.
Seeing Fang Ye, he was very happy, shaking his head left and right to attract his attention.
It seemed to be saying: Director, look at me, look at me! Come play with me!
During their time at the zoo, thanks to Fang Ye's daily comforting and the careful care of the keepers, the giraffes had adapted to the new environment.
Xiao Shi's younger brother, Yi, was shorter, with only his two little horns and ear tips visible over the wall, trying to peek but unable to see.
Netizens found this hilarious!
"Haha, these giraffes are so funny!"
Fang Ye also laughed helplessly and comforted, "Don't worry! I'll come to see you all soon!"
...
Arriving at the giraffe enclosure!
As soon as Fang Ye entered the giraffe enclosure, Xiao Shi happily trotted over.
The way giraffes walk and run is quite interesting.
Unlike typical quadrupeds, which alternate their front and back legs, giraffes move both legs on one side simultaneously, then the other side.
In simpler terms, they "amble"!
However, when giraffes run with their slender, long legs, they don't look as awkward or funny as humans do when ambling. Instead, they exude an elegant charm that's quite mesmerizing.
Xiao Shi lightly trotted up to Fang Ye, bending its long neck and looking at him with bright eyes, seemingly expecting a pat.
Fang Ye wouldn't disappoint Xiao Shi. He placed his hand on its nose and gently petted it, smiling, "Hello, Xiao Shi! How's your day been?"
Though Xiao Shi and Xiao Shi Yi are about the same height, they are easy to tell apart.
Xiao Shi is more lively and playful, being a boy.
Xiao Shi, happy to be petted by Fang Ye, rubbed its cheek against his palm, its ears flicking.
The two tall giraffes leisurely walked around the enclosure, eating. Xiao Shi Yi, seeing the strangers, was a bit hesitant to come over!
Lan Li also reached out to pet Xiao Shi. Seeing Xiao Shi turn its head and blink its long eyelashes at her, she couldn't help but laugh.
Fang Ye introduced, "These giraffes, Xiao Shi and Xiao Shi Yi, are siblings! The other two, Xiang Xiang and Da Yan, are female giraffes. Although Xiao Shi isn't an adult yet, we're getting him a wife in advance."
He petted Xiao Shi's head, "Xiao Shi, you have to do well, watch how Pangpang flirts, and play more with your sisters!"
Xiao Shi blinked its big eyes in confusion, wondering what a wife was.
Fang Ye asked the keeper for some leaves and handed them to Xiao Shi. Xiao Shi extended its long, purple-black tongue, skillfully wrapping the leaves into its mouth.
"So cute!"
"Big eyes, long eyelashes, double eyelids! Love it!"
"Giraffe eyes look so gentle!"
"I'm so jealous of those long eyelashes!"
"Giraffes are long everywhere, long legs, long necks, long eyelashes, long tongues!"
"I've always wondered, why are giraffes so tall? Is it convenient for their daily life?"
"Of course, it's convenient for spying. They can see Pangpang and Dudu dating over the wall. Just kidding."
"I think it helps them see predators from afar!"
"It's probably to eat leaves from tall trees!"
Netizens started a lively discussion.
Fang Ye glanced at the comments and laughed, "Being this tall certainly has its inconveniences!
Have you ever seen a giraffe drink water? They have to do a split, spreading their front legs apart and lowering their body before they can drink. Some even kneel. After drinking, they awkwardly stand up.
This awkward posture is when giraffes are most vulnerable. If attacked by predators like lions, they're done for. So, they always stay alert while drinking and drink very quickly.
Giraffes also give birth while standing. A newborn giraffe's first experience is not its mother's warm embrace but a two-meter free fall to the ground."
"Hahaha!"
"That sounds so tragic."
"Oh my, those babies must be tough!"
Fang Ye continued, "As for why giraffes evolved to be so tall, there's no definitive answer yet!
One mainstream theory is that giraffes' long necks evolved to eat leaves from tall trees.
This brings us to the love-hate relationship between giraffes and acacia trees.
Acacia trees have high-protein, nutritious fruits that giraffes love.
But acacia trees aren't happy about being eaten all the time, so they grow taller to avoid giraffes.
Thus, acacia trees became the tallest trees on the African savannah.
Giraffes, persistent as ever, also grew taller to reach the acacia leaves.
Acacia trees then evolved five-centimeter-long, needle-like thorns to protect their leaves. They seemed to say, 'Don't love me; it won't work out. If you eat me, I'll prick you!'
Giraffes, determined to get their food, evolved long, narrow tongues up to 60 cm, which can skillfully navigate around the thorns to eat the leaves.
Their tongues and lips also became tougher, so an occasional prick doesn't bother them.
Acacia trees, running out of tricks, started using poison. When eaten, their leaves produce toxins that make animals nauseous and can be fatal if consumed in large amounts. They even release signals to nearby acacia trees, urging them to produce toxins too.
But giraffes evolved resistance to the toxins and continued to eat the leaves happily.
Acacia trees then thought of enlisting help, evolving hollow balls that emit a sweet scent to attract ants. The ants build nests in the balls, and in return, protect the trees.
When giraffes eat the leaves, the ants, angry at the intrusion, spray formic acid on the giraffes, causing painful, itchy burns, especially if it gets in their eyes.
Giraffes, realizing they can't win, adapted by adopting guerrilla tactics, eating a few bites before moving to another spot to avoid angering the ants."
Fang Ye's lively storytelling captivated the netizens!
"Why do giraffes only target acacia trees? Don't they eat anything else? /laughcry"
"Nature is so amazing!"
"Their struggle is so intense. Evolution is a history of competition!"
"Suddenly thinking about chili peppers! They evolved 'spiciness' to avoid being eaten, but we humans love the sensation."
Fang Ye added, "Another theory is that giraffes' long necks, like lions' manes and peacocks' tails, evolved to attract mates. Of course, these factors aren't mutually exclusive and may have worked together.
Whatever the reason, giraffes are quite charming, right?"
"Indeed!"
After playing affectionately with the giraffes for a while, Fang Ye smiled and said, "We've been streaming long enough today. Time to go. I have other things to do."
Reluctantly, the netizens said their goodbyes: "Thank you, Director! Bye-bye!"
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