Karlee Friesen is taking the Victoria Bug Zoo to a different level with Taylor Swift and #bugsoftiktok.
sa国际传媒淚 definitely try to follow different trends,sa国际传媒� Friesen said.
Her take on the pet paw scanning situation sweeping social media thanks to the mega pop star proved a particular hit.
Calli makes a Tik Tok comeback
sa国际传媒淲e did that with a bunch of bugs and people really liked that which I thought was absolutely hilarious.sa国际传媒�
The Swifty kitty trend prompted debate over whether critters outside the cat kingdom qualify. The more than 350 comments weigh in favour of any animal sa国际传媒� bunny, bug or even the occasional dad.
It also scored 50,000 likes so far, not the accountsa国际传媒檚 biggest draw, but up there.
Friesensa国际传媒檚 take on a papasa国际传媒檚 party doubled that in likes. A papasa国际传媒檚 party is a TikTok trend where users pick up the front paws of their cat for a little dance. Friesen recreated it with a Victoria Bug Zoo resident Eurycantha calcarata, commonly called the thorny devil stick insect.
sa国际传媒淓veryone loved the papasa国际传媒檚 party which I think is adorable,sa国际传媒� she said.
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sa国际传媒淚 really do enjoy teaching and educating people, especially about bugs and how theysa国际传媒檙e not these big scary monsters we need to worry about,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淵ou shouldnsa国际传媒檛 squish them all. Insects are really important for our ecosystem. Without them, it would be a really gross world.sa国际传媒�
The Victoria Bug Zoo saw some rapid growth on the platform this year, the first she really focused on it.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 just another fun thing I get to do for the zoo. I still do all the boring admin stuff. I make some time for TikToks. When theysa国际传媒檙e only a minute long itsa国际传媒檚 pretty easy to get it into a day,sa国际传媒� she said.
Called Karl by her coworkers, Friesen marks five years at the bug zoo come November. She got the job not long after arriving from Kelowna with a bachelor of science in zoology and previous work in entomology on her resume.
She started as a regular employee and educator/guide which can run the gamut from front desk to animal care to tours. Itsa国际传媒檚 standard stuff for staff to take on all the roles.
She became assistant manager early in the sa国际传媒渨ild rollercoastersa国际传媒� that was 2020 and now works under the title outreach manager.
sa国际传媒淚 do all the communications for school visits, private tours, birthday parties and adding on social media.sa国际传媒�
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Shesa国际传媒檇 done some low-key small business social media work previously, and went to Instagram almost as soon as she started at the downtown Victoria tourist attraction.
Friesen embarked on TikTok last summer.
sa国际传媒淔or what we do here, TikTok is better,sa国际传媒� she said, pointing to the format of fun facts and funny videos. sa国际传媒淪tuff thatsa国际传媒檚 just fun about being at the bug zoo, TikTok really loves that stuff.sa国际传媒�
Friesen still promotes on other platforms sa国际传媒� each platform curated to its audience sa国际传媒� but embarked on TikTok last summer and found a good fit.
She really started the push early this year at around 12,000 followers.
sa国际传媒淲e had more and more likes, and more and more follows and all of a sudden we had 50,000,sa国际传媒� she said.
Among the top performers is one that hit 5.1 million views late last year, shortly before she really started to focus on the platform. Itsa国际传媒檚 shot from the perspective of a coworker walking in holding a phone and saying sa国际传媒渨elcome to the bug zoo you handling things OK over there Karl?sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚t was me with a stick insect on my face. We were just having a morning, it was pretty funny though,sa国际传媒� Friesen said.
Im out of breath after that one
sa国际传媒淚 try to make it as positive as I can because bugs are great and some people just really need to be reminded.sa国际传媒�
Shesa国际传媒檚 guilty of laughing at her own jokes, and can be spotted rolling on the floor cackling with laughter when things go well sa国际传媒� or not.
That personality shines through, perhaps because shesa国际传媒檚 the kind of person who shares fun facts about themselves such as: sa国际传媒淚 am one person away from David Attenborough sa国际传媒� I would love to make that zero people away but wesa国际传媒檒l see.sa国际传媒�
Among her favourite in the more than 50 different species are the ghost mantis sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒渢heysa国际传媒檙e just so spooky lookingsa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� and the sa国际传媒渏ust so cutesa国际传媒� herbivores such as leaf insects.
While Friesen feels the following is too small to inspire spontaneous recognition on this street, it has happened. Shesa国际传媒檚 not ready to break out the wigs and sunglasses just yet sa国际传媒� so far itsa国际传媒檚 a good thing.
sa国际传媒淚 really do enjoy teaching and educating people, especially about bugs and how theysa国际传媒檙e not these big scary monsters we need to worry about,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淵ou shouldnsa国际传媒檛 squish them all. Insects are really important for our ecosystem. Without them it would be a really gross world.sa国际传媒�
The leans into the creepy aspect of this month with a Halloween market featuring local creators as well as a spooky bug zoo at night on Oct. 29. Tickets for the event are available on the night in-person only. The market is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. with the zoo will be open from 6 to 8.
