Kentucky zoo lets you name a cockroach after your ex for Valentine’s Day

Francis the turtle sizes up a cockroach at Louisville Nature Centre in Kentucky. Photo / @louisvillenaturecenter

A US zoo has launched a “name a cockroach after your ex” campaign just in time for Valentine’s Day, an initiative some are calling petty.

The Louisville Nature Centre in Kentucky has invited people to register for the unusual fundraiser, offering donors the chance to name a cockroach that will be fed to Francis, its resident turtle, for US$20, WLKY News reported.

“If you’re feeling vengeful, but also want to be a bigger person, we’ve got you,” the online form reads.

The US$20 fee includes a digital participation certificate while a US$30 donation comes with a video of the feeding.

All proceeds will go toward maintaining the zoo’s walking trail boardwalks and upgrading its Nature Play Area.

A promotional video posted to the centre’s Facebook page shows yellow-bellied Francis wading through his tank toward a cockroach dangling from a pair of tweezers.

Scorned lovers flocked to social media to share their enthusiasm for the project.

“This is the level of petty I’m here for,” wrote one Facebook user.

“Someone got hurt in the marketing team,” another commented on Instagram.

Another joked the zoo “ain’t got a big enough roach”.

One commenter claiming to work at the zoo added: “Franklin the turtle thanks y’all for having toxic exes!”

The centre’s executive director, Rebecca Minnick, said the fundraiser was a “light-hearted, creative approach to Valentine’s Day that lets people blow off a bit of steam while giving back for a good cause”.

The New York Post reported other zoos across the country are offering similar Valentine’s Day promotions.

“Skip the chocolates! Love has six legs this year,” the Bronx Zoo posted.

The Bronx Zoo and other New York City zoos and aquariums have run name-a-roach Valentine’s campaigns for 15 years, with more than 60,000 roaches eaten and US$1 million raised, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

As part of the festivities, a naming wall board is unveiled on February 14 displaying the names of the newly named roaches.

Birmingham Zoo in Alabama, which runs its own version of the campaign, said donations also supported education efforts.

“While the fundraiser leans into humour, it also highlights the important role cockroaches play in ecosystems, recycling nutrients and serving as a valuable food source for many animals,” the zoo said.

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