Delightful Amazon-Style Zoo Animal Ratings Guarantee Laughter

PORTLAND, OR — We know you’re struggling to adjust to the biannual torture of the changing of the clocks, so let us direct you to some delightful entertainment as you sit before your computer trying to look interested in whatever task is at hand.

Using the #rateaspecies hashtag, the Oregon Zoo gave an Amazon-style review of an orphaned otter on its Twitter account, and now zoos and people across the country are taking part in the fun trend.

Credit for this brilliant campaign goes to Shervin Hess, who coordinates digital and social media for the Oregon Zoo. It recently took in an orphaned sea otter pup named Lincoln, and Hess has been spending a lot of time with him, describing him to the Earther website as “my little otter son.”

He decided to write an Amazon-style review of the otter because a real review of hiking boots described Lincoln perfectly — waterproof, great for winter, only comes in brown.

“So the tweets just started writing themselves at that point,” he told Earther in an email.

Among several other animals at the zoo, Hess reviewed a newborn river otter and gave the pup four stars. “THOUGHT IT WAS A KNOCKOFF,” the tweet says in all capital letters. “Looked like this right out of the package. Started beeping but they said that was normal. Craftsmanship seems good. Fun.”

Hess shared his brainstorm with his counterpart at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which offered a fun review of a mantis shrimp, which is known for its powerful appendages. It, too, got a four-star rating.

“Full set is the ultimate seafood multi-tool: tenderizes, slices and serves in milliseconds!” the tweet said. “Comes in all colors plus some you can’t see.”

Since then, the #rateaspecies hashtag has taken on a life of its own. Zoos and aquariums across the country are taking part, and ordinary people are as well.

YOUR TURN

Because this is so much fun, go to the comments and show us how clever you are by giving an Amazon-style review to the tiger pictured above. Or, if you prefer, review your pet.

Here are a few of the tweets that made us laugh:

Photo via Shutterstock