Every once in a while, pop culture combines with real life to produce a meme of truly epic proportions. The internet was made for #JurassicZoo, wherein animal wranglers take on their charges just like Chris Pratt in Jurassic World.
In Jurassic World, Pratt’s character Owen Grady demonstrates a raptor-soothing move, legs spread, arms akimbo. I’m not going to spoil why Grady has raptor rapport, but all you need to know is that zookeepers around the world have taken the scene and run with it, emulating Grady’s stance across social media. The contrast between the action star warding off legendary killer beasties and professionals keeping dangerously ferocious penguins at bay has been the source of unending hilarity.
At first it was only zookeepers, but #jurassiczoo has grown so big all kinds of animal handlers and twists on the meme theme are getting in on the fun. Venture with me into the wilderness of Jurassic Zoo.
Hold back Zebra….hold back…. #JurassicZoo! #ZooKeepers pic.twitter.com/C1nACZWqKR
— Chessington Resort (@CWOA) June 19, 2015
Loving the #JurassicZoo meme. This might be my favourite. pic.twitter.com/td3i0jwEAt
— Nick de Semlyen (@NickdeSemlyen) June 18, 2015
Zookeepers around the world are re-creating this scene from Jurassic World. Don’t our pigs look fierce? #JurassicZoo pic.twitter.com/VioSIskRXT
— Auckland Zoo (@aucklandzoo) June 18, 2015
Well it happened. #JurassicZoo pic.twitter.com/QYA6EiMQfl
— Charlotte BoBarlotte (@KristenDeity) June 19, 2015
Handlin’ three, heh, child’s play. #JurrasicWorld #JurassicZoo pic.twitter.com/Z1hRkCS7uG
— Warchief Vol’jin (@ChiefVoljin) June 17, 2015
#jurassiczookeeper #jurassiczoo @prattprattpratt @buffalozoo pic.twitter.com/s7DLMvOBEl
— Megan Monaco (@MeganMonaco614) June 19, 2015
Four more days
The keepers at my zoo are at it again, now with a mob of Meerkats! #JurassicZookeeper #JurassicZoo pic.twitter.com/zpJog20jHv
— Catherine Wellman (@Wellmanator) June 19, 2015
STAND DOWN #jurassicbooks #jurassiczoo pic.twitter.com/aNADlKSksY
— Rachel Petty (@Petty_monster) June 19, 2015
#JurassicZoo “@calacademy: Clever girls. The #JurassicWorld @prattprattpratt-challenge finally gets fierce.” pic.twitter.com/glT6LJhDxm”
— CA AcademyOfSciences (@calacademy) June 17, 2015
https://twitter.com/NCZoo/status/611890224306782209
@michelledeidre #jurassiczookeeper with the maned wolves at #pueblozoo pic.twitter.com/pFopanaRzs
— Nikki (@SkunkWolf) June 19, 2015
Practicing our #Prattkeeping with the Steller sea lions with @UBCFisheries #JurassicZoo #JurassicAquarium pic.twitter.com/RIsZACsodz
— Vancouver Aquarium (@vanaqua) June 18, 2015
Who needs #RaptorSquad when you have Veloci-otters? #OtterSquad #JurassicZoo pic.twitter.com/M0zr7BvI9I
— Georgia Aquarium (@GeorgiaAquarium) June 17, 2015
I could gleefully hunt down Jurassic Zoo pics forever, because this meme is pure joy. You can find more pics under the hashtags #jurassiczookeeper, #prattkeeping and #raptorsquad. Beyond the silly fun, it’s also an awesome opportunity to spotlight the people and institutions who work with animals every day. Without question, creature squads and their creative keepers won the internet this week.