Amy Love 

Opinions Editor

aml7458@psu.edu

Continuing its eleven year tradition, the Bronx Zoo offered Valentine’s gifts that consisted of naming a Madagascar cockroach after a loved one. Surprisingly enough, this program has been ongoing since 2011. 

For $15, an individual would be able to name a Madagascar hissing cockroach after someone, whether it be an ex or a loved one. There were different packages someone could purchase. There was an option to have “a delightful Valentine’s Virtual Encounter with a Madagascar hissing cockroach.” Other packages included socks or beanies with roaches decorating it. The highest package, which included everything, was $75. 

According to the Bronx’s Zoo website, the money would benefit the Wildlife Conservation Society. This is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to conserve the world’s biggest wild places. 

The Bronx Zoo is not the only sanctuary to offer these types of programs, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the San Antonio Zoo offer similar experiences. 

At the Houston Museum of Natural Science, a customer can purchase an “endless love” name-a-roach pin for $10. Alongside the pin, the customer gets to name a roach and receives a digital certificate to memorialize the experience. 

Their site describes this Valentine’s gift as the following: “There’s two things we’re sure will last forever: True Love and Roaches.” 

The concept of receiving a Valentine’s gift of having a roach named after you seemed a bit peculiar at first, but it becomes more understandable after a while. The zoos are offering another way to symbolize love that is similar to gifting a plastic flower to a significant other to symbolize that their love will never die. Roaches are another way to symbolize that undying love since they, essentially, refuse to die. It also helps that the money is going to a good cause rather than to the zoo’s pockets. It is a fun and unique way  to celebrate Valentine’s day, while also helping to conserve land dedicated to wildlife. 

Some zoos are offering more than just naming the cockroaches after a loved one. They also offer naming a roach after someone, and then feeding that roach to other animals. At the San Antonio Zoo, they are offering the “Cry Me a Cockroach” program, which consists of naming the roaches after people “who really made 2021 difficult.” These people can be an “ex-partner, boss or bestie.”

For this program, the customer can buy a leafy green for $5, a roach for $10, and a rodent for $25. They can also upgrade their donation to be able to watch their purchase be fed to the animal. Funds from this will be used for “securing a future for wildlife.”

The concept seems to be a perfect way to let out any negative feelings towards an individual who may have done someone wrong. On top of that fact, the money is a donation for their fundraiser, and would be money well-spent. 

These are creative ways for the zoo to utilize a holiday to get donations for their causes, whatever they may be. 

These programs may be over now, but most of the zoos offer them annually. For next Valentine’s day, there is an option to show your love by naming a cockroach after them or to release anger by naming a soon-to-be fed roach.