Animal Instincts

Do Not Disturb
If you know anything about panda bears, and your knowledge is not based on the Kung Fu film franchise based on the beast by the same name, you’ll know that they are few in number, and are notoriously difficult to get to breed with each other, especially in captivity. The good news is, we just kind of did. Ever since the Ocean Park in Hong Kong shuttered its gates against the global Covid-19 pandemic, these endangered species inside are finally getting some much needed privacy. And it was apparently all that was required to get the zoo’s two star pandas, Ying Ying and Le Le, to get to know each other, in the biblical sense. Zoo officials announced earlier this week that, after 10 years of attempting to get the two to mate naturally, the new couple finally succeeded.

Living in the Future 
Graduation day! It’s the most important day in a young person’s life, if thousands of movies and TV shows are anything to go by. Well, the Covid-19 pandemic has put a kibosh on that, with universities around the world having to postpone or outright cancel their graduation ceremonies. However, one institution had a literal out of the box solution to the quandary, by using avatar robots remotely controlled by graduating students, safe in their own homes. The avatar robots, christened ‘Newme’ by their developer, ANA Holdings, rolled up dressed in graduation caps and gowns for the ceremony, crowned by tablets projecting the graduates’ faces. Officials from the Business Breakthrough (BBT) University in Tokyo said they hoped this method could be used as a model for other schools wanting to hold ceremonies, without endangering others.

Essential Services 
People working in essential services, including hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, and media, are among the few who are allowed to venture out in this unprecedented situation. Apart from everything else, this has led to young kids (and some adults) worrying about whether they’ll be able to enjoy Easter goodies this Sunday, given the lockdowns imposed across continents. At least, young New Zealanders don’t need to have that fear, after their PM Jacinda Ardern confirmed at a recent press conference that the Easter Bunny and his non-furry compatriots have a curfew pass. “But as you can imagine, at this time, of course, they’re going to be potentially quite busy at home with their family as well and their own bunnies. So I say to the children of New Zealand, if the Easter Bunny doesn’t make it to your household, we have to understand that it’s a bit difficult at the moment perhaps for the bunny to get everywhere,” she added. So be grateful, little Kiwis.