Chapter 668: Lively Otters
A young lion cub circled around Fang Ye, pawing at his clothes and sniffing curiously.
It playfully jumped behind him, placing its paws on his shoulders, and licked his neck with its tongue.
This cub was Didi, the one that got stuck in a tree branch last time. Didi was lively and active, never staying still for a moment.
Zaza seemed to have inherited Qiqi's serious demeanor, looking stern.
However, Zaza was obedient, lying quietly next to Fang Ye, letting him stroke its nose.
The little female lion, Meimei, was gentle and pretty, letting Fang Ye scratch her soft belly, looking very cute.
Qiqi watched the cubs with Fang Ye, feeling both envious and jealous as he saw Fang Ye being affectionate with them.
Trying to assert its authority, Qiqi let out a loud roar!
Remember, I'm the boss here!
The cubs, now older, understood Qiqi's authority. Unlike when they were younger and clueless, biting its tail and climbing all over it.
Though they still teased Qiqi, they stopped as soon as it got angry.
Baba, being bolder and more thick-skinned, was one of the few who dared to continue teasing Qiqi.
When Qiqi roared, Baba just shook its ears and acted nonchalant.
The other cubs, however, were a bit intimidated. Didi quickly hid behind Fang Ye, and Lili also rolled over to get closer to him for reassurance.
Fang Ye, seeing this, was displeased and threw a slipper at Qiqi: "Hey, don't roar at the kids!"
This time, Qiqi was the one who got scared!
Although the slipper didn't hit, Qiqi instinctively ducked its head.
It looked a bit aggrieved, thinking, "Just one roar, and you throw a slipper at me, the ultimate weapon."
Kaka, looking a bit dazed, glanced at Fang Ye and softly growled at Qiqi, as if advising, "The director loves the cubs. Don't lose your temper when he's around!"
"A majestic lion afraid of a slipper?"
Yumiko was amazed by Fang Ye's scene of disciplining Qiqi with a slipper, exclaiming, "What an incredible person! Oh, I almost forgot to take pictures!"
She snapped a few photos.
After visiting the zoo, she could share these photos on her social media, telling her friends in Japan about today's zoo adventure. Cute pandas and the amazing director who pets lions and tigers.
...
After watching the lions, they went to the zoo restaurant for a meal!
The scenery there was also lovely, with golden osmanthus flowers blooming on the treetops, filling the air with a fresh, gentle fragrance.
Clear streams gurgled, and colorful koi swam playfully in the water.
It was a relaxing atmosphere.
Nearby, visitors chatted happily while eating.
"The new rural exhibit is really nice!"
"Yeah, the black-browed snake exhibit feels just like my old rural home. It's so nostalgic!"
"Indeed! The otters are also great."
Liu Wei, overhearing the conversation, was curious. A new rural exhibit? It sounded interesting.
He asked Yumiko across from him, "Do you want to continue exploring the zoo this afternoon or head back to school?"
After walking all morning, Yumiko felt a bit tired but still enjoyed watching the animals.
She said, "Let's explore a bit more!"
"Sure!"
Liu Wei was more than happy. He was there to accompany her, after all. Alone, he wouldn't have had the same enthusiasm.
He suggested, "How about we check out the rural exhibit? It's new and has otters. I haven't been there yet."
"Sounds great! I love otters too!"
Checking the map, they found the rural exhibit behind the rice fields of the Little Farm.
In front of the alpaca pen, Yumiko laughed at the variously shaped alpacas: "These alpacas are so funny, hi~"
She waved at them.
Karsilan elegantly chewed on hay, surrounded by visitors feeding and photographing it, petting its fur.
Bucky, seeing someone wave, gave a mysterious smile and slowly walked over.
It stuck its head out of the fence, and Yumiko, noticing its cute and friendly demeanor, gently patted its head: "Kawaii~"
The path to the rural exhibit lay between the alpaca pen and the rice fields, where ducks quacked, swimming among the green rice leaves.
Yumiko curiously asked, "Why does the zoo have rice fields?"
Liu Wei explained, "Yes, the zoo isn't just for displaying animals for entertainment. It's also an educational place."
Yumiko nodded, "Mm-hmm!"
"Some poorly managed zoos might just put up a sign for education, but Linhai Zoo takes it seriously. They use various forms of education. This rice field, for instance, is about organic farming. No pesticides or fertilizers, letting ducks eat the weeds, making the rice more environmentally friendly.
Through this organic farm, they teach how humans and nature should coexist harmoniously."
"Oh, I see~"
Yumiko's appreciation for Linhai Zoo grew even more.
At the Otter Exhibit!
The environment looked like a wild stream.
Sunlight reflected off the rippling water, with several dark shadows swimming swiftly.
On the grassy bank, an otter lay on its back, seemingly sunbathing, playing with a white pebble.
Though its eyes were closed, the pebble rolled and bounced on its front paws, chest, and hind paws without falling.
It looked like a skilled athlete, the ball seemingly glued to its body, connected by an invisible string, never falling no matter how it was kicked or bounced.
For otters, playing with pebbles is like playing basketball or soccer.
"Wow, amazing!"
"So agile!"
"A natural acrobat!"
The visitors were amazed!
Another otter, seemingly envious of its companion's play, ran over to try and snatch the smooth pebble.
But the playful otter was vigilant, immediately clutching the pebble to its chest with its paws.
The streambed was covered with pebbles, so the unsuccessful otter found another one to play with.
The keeper smiled and explained, "These are small-clawed otters!
In Linhai, we have Eurasian otters. Ideally, our rural exhibit should feature them, but they are nocturnal and solitary, so we showcase the small-clawed otters instead.
Small-clawed otters live by water, usually digging burrows on riverbanks and forming groups of 2-10. They live together and defend their territory when invaded, primarily communicating through sounds and marking their territory with scent."