It seems that humans aren’t the only species tightening their belts in the face of recent price increases. In Japan, at the Hakone-en Aquarium in the city of Tokyo, penguins are also dealing with the effects of inflation, Vice says.
Instead of the usual fat aji, penguins and otters in the aquarium now have to be content with mackerel, a much cheaper fish that many animals do not eat. While some lightly peck at it, others turn their heads in disgust as soon as an employee holds it in their face.
“Even if they put it in their beak, they spit it out again,” complains aquarist Hiroki Shimamoto. I’m not sure if the animals feel a significant difference, but you can tell they’re not used to it.”
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Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the prices of imported products and energy in Japan have only increased. In April 2022, “consumer prices rose 2.5%, the sharpest increase since October 2014,” comments Vice.
This has reduced the operating costs of the aquarium by almost 20% since the beginning of the year. In addition to having to price its animals’ menus downward, the company needed to save money on lights and reduce the frequency of filter tank cleaning.
Regarding the penguins, Hiroki Shimamoto explains that he changed the composition of their meal in May. From July 30-40% of their food will be cheaper fish. But rest assured, the aquarium obviously won’t starve picky eaters, as Shimamoto clarifies: “For those who reject the new fish, we’ll just give them what they used to eat.”