章節 78: Chapter 644: The Big Jars on the Island
The cygnets hurriedly paddled their feet, swimming quickly to catch up with their dad.
Then they started preening their feathers, using their fluffy necks to rub against their backs and wings!
The experienced photographers saw this and immediately perked up, raising their voices, "They're going to play in the water! They're going to play in the water!"
Sure enough, the dad swan led by example, diving headfirst into the water with its butt sticking up, its tail feathers constantly moving.
The cygnets followed suit, diving headfirst into the water!
They completely submerged, leaving no trace on the water's surface.
"Oh no, won't they drown?"
The viewers were worried!
The cygnets all dove into the water, some silently slipping in, while others kicked their feet a few times, splashing noticeable water droplets.
One by one, they resurfaced, looking nonchalant, which was a relief.
The photographers were used to such scenes, smiling and snapping away, "Wow, so beautiful!"
"Look at that little one, so lively!"
"Look at this one!"
"Yes, yes! Beautiful!"
"Sixie, the single dad, is doing a great job raising the kids. Very responsible. I like Sixie for that."
"Xiao Hu is such a jerk, breaking up a good couple just for beauty. His goose character is terrible!"
Coming here daily to photograph birds was quite enjoyable.
Watching the swans' elegant flight and seeing these lively little ones grow up brought joy and contentment.
Besides taking photos, they could chat with like-minded friends about the waterfowl's family stories.
A mallard flew over, landing nearby.
One cygnet stood up straight like a little penguin, flapping its short wings and walking a few steps in the water before diving in, its unique posture causing the photographers to exclaim.
"Director, when can the cygnets fly?"
Fang Ye thought for a moment, "Hmm, about three months after birth! These cygnets are only a month old now. In two months, you should be able to see them lined up, practicing flying. You're welcome to visit then.
Speaking of which, we've recently introduced shoebills and penguins! They'll be on display soon."
"Wow! Shoebills!"
"Awesome! I've always wanted to see shoebills!"
"The variety of animals at the zoo is increasing. Congratulations! Director, have you considered introducing some polar animals, like polar bears, arctic foxes, or arctic wolves?"
"I think arctic foxes are great, super cute!"
"Aren't penguins from Antarctica? Won't it be too hot for them here?"
"No worries, we'll make the penguin exhibit indoors and install air conditioning!"
Fang Ye shook his finger, "Not all penguins live in freezing polar regions. They can be found in temperate and tropical zones. For example, Galapagos penguins live in the tropics, near the equator, where temperatures can reach 40 degrees, and they still thrive."
"Oh no, I've exposed my lack of knowledge!"
"Haha, it's okay, I didn't know either!"
Fang Ye explained, "We've introduced African penguins, a temperate species from southern Africa! Although they live in Africa, it's not always hot; sometimes cold currents pass through. They can tolerate 4-26 degrees, with 18 degrees being ideal.
Although it's hot in summer here in Linhai, our zoo is in the suburbs, surrounded by large forests, which makes it about three degrees cooler than the city center.
Plus, the penguin exhibit has a pool, and the water temperature is lower than the land. The pool, along with cooling sprays and shaded artificial mountains made of large rocks, makes it comfortable for them to stay outside.
If it gets too hot, we can add ice or let them go inside to enjoy the air conditioning, so there's no need to worry about them overheating.
As for polar bears, we won't be keeping them for now!"
A viewer asked, puzzled, "Why not?"
Fang Ye explained, "Raising animals isn't just about housing them in the zoo; it's about raising them well.
Polar bears live in icy environments. Bringing them here would mean either keeping them indoors with air conditioning, where they wouldn't see the sun and have limited space, leading to stereotypic behaviors.
Painting icebergs and snow scenes on the exhibit walls might look nice to you, but would it be enjoyable?
Or we could keep them outdoors, but polar bears are true polar animals. While temperate penguins can move around freely, polar bears can't. Even soaking in water to cool down would still be uncomfortable.
Our environment here just isn't suitable for keeping polar bears."
"Oh, I see~"
The viewers felt a bit disappointed.
But they understood that not keeping animals they couldn't care for properly was a responsible approach.
Many people liked Linhai Zoo initially because of Fang Ye's warm interactions with the animals, and later discovered the beauty and charm of many other animals.
Besides these, there were deeper themes like how humans and animals could coexist harmoniously and the responsibilities humans should bear.
It wasn't just about external beauty; there was inner beauty too.
Walking along the shore, they saw something black and round on the distant island, scattered around.
A curious viewer asked, "Director, what are those? They look like water jars buried in the ground?"
Fang Ye laughed, "They're not just like water jars; they are water jars!"
"Huh? Is this some kind of enrichment?"
"Our Waterfowl Lake has more than just swans; there are mallards, ruddy shelducks, and other birds.
These water jars are for them.
They provide hidden spaces, shelter from wind and rain, protection from predators, and with some dry grass inside, they make perfect nesting sites.
Sounds great, right? But this is our first year trying it, and it wasn't very successful. We had about thirty eggs laid in the jars, which shows they were used, but not many hatched."
Fang Ye gestured with his hand, "When we placed them, we didn't consider tilting them. Some jars got flooded with muddy water during rain, drowning the eggs. Some eggs didn't hatch, and some chicks that hatched drowned."
He sighed regretfully, "But it was our first time, so we'll have more experience next year."
"Running a zoo well isn't easy!"
"Indeed, it requires a lot of technical knowledge! I used to think it was just about feeding and cleaning up after the animals /laughcry"
Fang Ye strolled leisurely around Waterfowl Lake, letting the viewers enjoy the sight of the waterfowl playing.
Then he snapped his fingers, "Didn't you want to see elephants eating durians? Let's go."
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