The very first tweeting animal in the world, a badger at Johannesburg Zoo, has become an overnight sensation.
The two-year-old Honey Badger, called BG, is able to tweet live Twitter feeds through sensory technology installed in his animal enclosure.
The technology used is a high-tech animal enclosure which was developed by Hellocomputer, a digital agency of Draftfcb Group, and was installed by Tom van den Bon from Binary Space.
The enclosure is engineered with wireless infrared motion sensors which are divided into six zones. The motion sensors pick up the Honey Badger’s movements and this automatically triggers the live tweets.
All Tweets are pre-written and all relevant to his movements around the enclosure, with about one hundred that can be used.
If he is on the right side of the enclosure BG will trigger people-related Tweets, while if he uses the left side it will trigger animal-related Tweets.
This technology is said to be on the forefront of going beyond the zoo and delving into the realm of “spokesanimals” for a species – extinct and existing.
Kerry Friend, executive creative director of Hellocomputer, said: “It has the potential to contribute to mankind’s understanding of animal behaviour.”
The high-tech animal enclosure technology was used as a promotional tactic to promote the zoo.
One of BG’s latest Tweets read:
I see you picking your nose there little boy. No judgment. If I could I would. #darntheseclaws
— Tweeting Badger (@zootweetslive) July 2, 2013
BG is apparently the most social animal at the zoo and therefore has become its social media representative.
BG can be followed on Twitter @zootweetslive.
