David Attenborough’s teaching geography to school kids, New Yorkers are giving an emotional thanks and one chef is spreading sourdough joy across Australia – here’s your good news round up. This week features some of the most touching Covid-19 positive stories you may have missed during the Coronavirus outbreak.
1. Animals are taking over cities and parks on lockdown worldwide
When humans are away, animals come out to play. From wild bears walking the paths of Yosemite National Park in California…
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…to lions napping across the road in South Africa’s Kruger National Park…
Kruger visitors that tourists do not normally see. #SALockdown This lion pride are usually resident on Kempiana Contractual Park, an area Kruger tourists do not see. This afternoon they were lying on the tar road just outside of Orpen Rest Camp.
?Section Ranger Richard Sowry pic.twitter.com/jFUBAWvmsA— Kruger National Park (@SANParksKNP) April 15, 2020
…cows chilling on the highway in Delhi…
Nature wins! Cows on roads in India might not be special, but this cow is on the “congested” flyover near Timarpur, Delhi.#natureswonders #naturalworld #naturewins #cows #positivity #lockdown #benefitsoflockdown #funnyphotos #trekking #walking #hiking #montblanctreks pic.twitter.com/DQjewYYI4d
— Mont Blanc Treks (@montblanctreks) April 14, 2020
…and mountain goats taking over a town in Wales! Hopefully, these shots will not only warm our hearts, but they also make us take a long hard look at the impact we have on local animals’ habitats.
2. UK Artist paints free portraits of NHS workers
Earlier this month, British artist Tom Croft launched #PortraitsforNHSHeroes, offering to paint a free oil portrait of an NHS worker to the first who messaged him via Instagram. He’s since encouraged 500 other artists to join him and be paired up with a healthcare worker on the frontline to paint or sketch for free, and the hashtag now has nearly 3,500 posts! When we emerge from the pandemic, he hopes to show all the powerful portraits in a gallery exhibition.
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3. Quarantined New Yorkers cheer on hospital workers – and the portraits are beautiful
“New Yorkers are known for demonstrating a certain brand of defiance and grit when brought to their knees. In the United States, New York City has been hit the hardest by the coronavirus outbreak, again becoming ground zero in a national tragedy,” reports Today.
But to give thanks to hospital professionals for their work in tackling Covid-19, residents across the city are giving nightly ovations at 7pm, using everything from pots and pans to trombones and their own voices. “The sound of gratitude mixed with pure emotion fills otherwise empty and quiet city blocks.” By far one of the most inspiring Covid-19 positive stories out there this week.
Image source:Photo: Nathan Congleton / Today.com
4. Canadian stays in Costa Rica to help orphaned monkeys
Yep, he may be one of the most selfless men in the world… Despite Canadians abroad being asked to return home, Mathew Halfacre decided to stay in Costa Rica to continue volunteering at an animal shelter, according to CTV News. Wild Sun Rescue Center rehabilitates and releases monkeys, iguanas and birds into the wild. Mathew decided to stay after many people headed home and now the shelter is down to just nine volunteers. What. A. Guy.
Canadian in Costa Rica defies orders to come home, instead helps orphaned monkeys. @avery_haines has his story: https://t.co/5FdGx5Cods pic.twitter.com/KSPnVa3sOB
— CTV News (@CTVNews) April 20, 2020
5. Chef is spreading sourdough joy across Australia
Have that sudden craving to start making sourdough? Yep, isolation brings out the weirdest in all of us. Well, this New York-based Aussie chef Xinyi Lim (who’s actually stuck in Sydney) has your back. She recently started a project called ‘Start the Spread’ and sent out ziplock bags of sourdough starter in the mail for bakers around the country.
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Unfortunately the chef has now reached capacity for what she and her home kitchen can produce. However, she says: “I encourage you to try to make your own starter; lucid instructions are available @bread_on_earth – originator of this global movement to share sourdough.”
6. Famous faces help out with home teaching
Just IMAGINE being a parent right now! Thankfully, educational resource website BBC Bitesize is stepping up to help parents with their homeschooling duties and has enlisted some famous experts to deliver online lessons to young people. The site will feature geography lessons (on animals and oceans) with Sir David Attenborough, Professor Brian Cox will teach science and singers Mabel and Liam Payne will take the lead on some musical storytelling.
Sir David Attenborough leads BBC Bitesize’s celebrity teachers line-up https://t.co/wfs0wldQj1
— Evening Standard (@EveningStandard) April 20, 2020
