A lemur on my keyboard - Thai girl plays for animals in deserted zoo

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Lemurs are seen as Seenlada Supat, 11, plays keyboard for animals amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at a zoo in Chonburi, Thailand May 26, 2021. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

By Juarawee Kittisilpa and Vorasit Satienlerk

 

KHAO KHEOW, Thailand (Reuters) - Dressed from head to toe in a bright green alligator costume, a girl was playing a tune on her keyboard in a Thai zoo, unfazed by a lemur climbing onto the instrument.

 

It was the latest in an unusual series of outdoor recitals at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, southeast of Bangkok, by 11-year-old Seenlada Supat, who says she wants to keep the animals company while visitor numbers are low due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

 

"I'm playing music to soothe the animals to help them feel relaxed and give them company so they are not too lonely," she told Reuters.

 

She said her voluntary weekly zoo performances were giving her a chance to practice before a live audience and overcome stage fright.

 

 

"I wanted them to be involved with me while I'm playing music," she said, adding that it wasn't a problem when an animal jumped on her keyboard, like the curious lemur. "I don't mind, it's as if they're playing music with me too."

 

As well as ring-tailed lemurs, her audiences have included meerkat, hippos, zebras and a range of other animals.

Zoo director Tawin Rattanawongsawat said Supat's recitals were being well received.

 

"We noticed that the animals were reacting," Tawin said. "They became curious while others appeared to be enjoying the music."

 

(Writing by Juarawee Kittisilpa and Martin Petty, editing by Estelle Shirbon)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-05-27

 

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[kotsak]

I hope those primates were vaccinated..  ????

[LazySlipper]

I don't think wild animals, or 'zooed' animals get lonely... hungry yeah sure...

 

Nothing better to report?

[silver sea]

1 hour ago, LazySlipper said:

I don't think wild animals, or 'zooed' animals get lonely... hungry yeah sure...

 

Nothing better to report?

 

 

I enjoyed the thread and watching the young girl playing the music for the lemurs. Makes a change from reading about the government’s flip flop plans for vaccinations or about road accidents or about Thais getting jealous and murdering their wives for showing an interest in other men.

 

It seems that loneliness is a world wide problem for zoo animals. Maybe Thailand can become a hub for zoo music recitals.

 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52493750
 

https://www.thecut.com/2020/05/the-zoo-animals-are-lonely-and-bored.html

 

https://www.azcentral.com/videos/news/local/phoenix/2020/04/05/phoenix-zoo-stimulates-animals-missing-human-visitors/2946221001/

 

 

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/06/24/some-zoo-animals-are-doing-fine-without-visitors-many-are-lonely-without-us/
 

And more videos:

 

https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2020/04/13/zoo-animals-miss-people-coronavirus/
 

 

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/animals-wellington-zoo-lonely-over-lack-visitors-amid-lockdown

 

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/behind-scenes-twycross-zoo-staff-18413607
 

Edited May 27, 2021 by silver sea