Grape-kun
Grape-kun (Japanese: グレープ君 Hepburn: Gurēpu-kun, 16 Apryle, 1996 – 12 October, 2017) wis a Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) at Tobu Zoo fund in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. His fondness tae a staunee o a chairacter frae the 2017 anime series Kemono Friends, Hululu, got hissel internaitional fame. Grape-kun stairtit tae hiv halth problems in early October 2017, an the zoo annooncit his deith on 12 October.
 Grape-kun starin up at a rock in his enclosure | |
| Species | Spheniscus humboldti |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Hatched | 16 Apryle 1996[1] Hamura, Tokyo, Japan |
| Dee'd | (aged 21) at Tobu Zoo[2] Miyashiro, Saitama, Japan |
| Awner | Tobu Zoo, Miyashiro, Saitama, Japan |
Early life
eeditGrape-kun wis born at Hamura Zoo in Tokyo in 1996. He wis cried as that acause o the colour o the purpie ring pit on his wing fur identifeein; the wird "kun" is a Japanese honorific uised fur tawkin tae yunger males fur common. It is uisially uised fur male pets an aw. Alang wi his mate, Midori, he wis pit ower tae Tobu Zoo in 2007. Efter a decade-lang relationship, Midori later on left him fur a yunger penguin, an that led tae Grape-kun bein isolatit frae the other penguins.
Fondness tae anime chairacter staunee
eeditIn Apryle 2017, Tobu Zoo pit 60 staunees o characters frae the popular anime series Kemono Friends aboot the grunds tae attract veesitors.[3] The staunee pit in Grape-kun's enclosure, Hululu, wis an anthropomorphic Humboldt penguin.[4] Grape-kun wad stare at the staunee fur oors, g'in as faur as tae try an rax the staunee, thit wis pit on a heich rock. Zookeepers haed tae pit Grape-kun awa frae the staunee fur pairt o the day sae thit he wad eat. Media outlets descrived Grape-kun as havin fawen "in luve", an the zoo made a drink cried "Luvin Grape" descrived as a "perfect embodiment" o the penguin's relationship wi his luve.
Grape-kun's devotion tae the staunee gied him fame an a global fan base on the Internet.[3][4] Hululu's vyce actress, Ikuko Chikuta, veesited Grape-kun as pairt o an eddicational event on penguins. A festival honourin Grape-kun wis planned, but his halth stairtit tae douk in October. The zoo annooncit his deith on October 12. Zoo wirkers piut thegither a smaw shrine in his honor, an a guid twa three guests veesitit the penguin enclosure wi flouers.[2] Social media uisers paid tribute throu the hashtag #grapekun, an mony postit drawins o Grape-kun an Hululu. In Januar 2018, Tobu Zoo pit in a new staunee in the penguin enclosure, featurin Hululu an a drawin o Grape-kun staundin aside wan anither.[5]
Gallerie
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References
eedit- ↑ "東武動物公園からのお知らせ" [Notice frae Tobu Zoo] (PDF) (Press release) (in Japanese). Tobu Zoo. 13 October 2017. Archived frae the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
- ↑ a b "Romantic penguin dies, with object of desire by its side". The Straits Times (in Inglis). Agence France-Presse. 15 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
- ↑ a b Rogers, Jon (2 Mey 2017). "Pick up a penguin? Humboldt bird falls in love with his future waifu placed in his pen". Daily Express (in Inglis). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ↑ a b "Penguin Grape-kun meets voice actress of his anime girl 'waifu'". Philippine Daily Inquirer (in Inglis). 21 Mey 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ↑ Lasic, Gillan (10 Januar 2018). "Internet famous penguin 'Grape-kun' got reunited with his anime wife as a cardboard cutout". Inquirer.net (in Inglis).