Ahead of Valentine’s Day, a zoo in the US is offering people to get a revenge on their exes and vent their feelings in an unusual way. Continuing with its tradition, the Bronx Zoo is offering people a chance to name a cockroach after their ex-partner for $15 (approximately Rs 1246). The gift comes with a colorful certificate emailed to your loved one announcing that a Madagascar hissing cockroach has been named in his or her honour. For an additional $20, people can also add a virtual encounter with a cockroach and a “special surprise animal guest.” Roach-themed socks, and cuddly roach plushies, are also available for purchase.
Notably, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, reaching nearly four inches long, are the world’s largest roach species.
In a tweet, the zoo announced the campaign and wrote, ”Valentine’s Day is creeping up once again. Only one gift has six legs and an irresistible aura of romance. That’s right! Name a Bronx Zoo Madagascar hissing cockroach after your special someone and spell out your love for them in big, bold, big letters.”
Watch the video here:
Valentine’s Day is creeping up once again. Only one gift has six legs and an irresistible aura of romance. That’s right! Name a Bronx Zoo Madagascar hissing cockroach after your special someone and spell out your love for them in big, bold, bug letters: https://t.co/epKXvBD61q pic.twitter.com/6h184fJcYH
— Bronx Zoo (@BronxZoo) January 16, 2024
Orders must be placed by February 8, 2024, to receive the gift by Valentine’s Day. On its website, the zoo added a note that reads, ”You don’t always have the right words, but you can still give them goosebumps. Name a Roach for your Valentine, because roaches are forever.”
The original Name-a-Roach was launched by the Bronx Zoo in 2011, with some people naming the roaches after their exes or even in-laws. Last year, 3,246 people named roaches as part of the Valentine’s Day program, according to the Bronx Zoo, CBS News reported.
All the donations will go to the Wildlife Conservation Society, which aims to protect biodiversity all over the world.
Last year, Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy also launched a similar name-a-roach campaign.