“Five stars, waterproof, great for winters, only comes in brown.” When Oregon Zoo’s Shervin Hess read a customer review for hiking boots, he couldn’t help but think the description was equally fitting for his favorite zoo animal, a rescued sea otter pup named Lincoln. Maybe, those same ratings could be applied to animals to educate people about vulnerable species and the important ecosystem services they provide, all while having a little bit of fun, Hess thought. From there, the #RateASpecies social movement was born.
What started as a single joke tweet grew to a trending hashtag reaching nearly 100 million people during March 2018. The AZA community’s collective wit gave rise to hilarious ratings of red pandas, penguins, giraffes, and even obscure species with which the general public might not be as familiar. Other conservation organizations and wildlife lovers joined in with their contributions, and the movement spread, catching the attention of mainstream media outlets like Buzzfeed.
Recently, AZA partnered with publisher Timber Press to capture these hilarious reviews in a new book, Animals Reviewed, which will be available beginning next Tuesday, October 29, on Amazon. Thanks to the contributions of dozens of our zoos and aquariums, the book contains over 150 uproarious jokes and images of our favorite furred, feathered, and exo-skeletoned friends.
Animals Reviewed connects readers with animals in a humorous way and plays another equally important role: inspiring the next generation of wildlife defenders. Animals Reviewed contains laughs alongside subtle references to endangered species in “limited edition.” Some of the species rated in this book, like the California condor, might no longer exist if it weren’t for the collaborative conservation efforts of AZA-accredited zoos, aquariums and their partners. Others, like the tardigrade or saw-whet owl, may be species the audience has never heard of or learned about before. Animals Reviewed furthers our mission of protecting wildlife and wild places through education and engagement with audiences of all ages.
I certainly enjoyed reading this book, and I know you will, too. Pre-order your copy today!
