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Visitors Flock to Bronx’s ‘Joker’ Stairs

People pose on the steps between two apartment buildings, Monday Oct. 28, 2019, in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP)
People pose on the steps between two apartment buildings, Monday Oct. 28, 2019, in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP)
    New York, London - Asharq Al-Awsat
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Visitors Flock to Bronx’s ‘Joker’ Stairs

People pose on the steps between two apartment buildings, Monday Oct. 28, 2019, in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP)
People pose on the steps between two apartment buildings, Monday Oct. 28, 2019, in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP)

The long staircases built between two residential buildings in New York’s Bronx area linking the Shakespeare and Anderson avenues may not appear to be much of a tourist attraction.

However, the city's residents and tourists have been flocking to this spot since the staircases recently appeared in the Joker movie, the German news agency reported.

The unattractive stairs have made the background of countless selfies shared on Instagram.

Local media reported that some people are even wearing the Joker costume to dance down the stairs, similar to Joaquin Phoenix’s character in the movie.

In the movie, Phoenix dances as he goes down the steps, wearing a bright red suit and clown makeup.

However, not all people are happy with the new situation, and many have used social media to complain about the surprising flow of tourists, disturbing the calm of their neighborhood.

The film, starring Phoenix as Batman's notorious foe, hit $93.5 million of revenues during its first weekend in North American theaters.

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Varieties

Monkey Business Delays Sri Lanka's Wildlife Survey

Officials in Sri Lanka said they were withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife because monkey business appeared to have distorted some of the data. Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP
Officials in Sri Lanka said they were withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife because monkey business appeared to have distorted some of the data. Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP
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Monkey Business Delays Sri Lanka's Wildlife Survey

Officials in Sri Lanka said they were withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife because monkey business appeared to have distorted some of the data. Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP
Officials in Sri Lanka said they were withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife because monkey business appeared to have distorted some of the data. Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP

Sri Lanka is withholding the results of a survey of crop-destroying wildlife, including monkeys and peacocks, because data collected from some farmers appeared unrealistic, a minister said on Monday.

Deputy Environment Minister Anton Jayakodi said authorities had begun a review of the nationwide survey conducted on March 15, the first of its kind, because "some of the data was unbelievable".

Authorities suggested some enraged farmers might have exaggerated the numbers to suggest that the problem was even bigger, AFP reported.

Data in some places appeared "unusually high", officials said.

Residents across the island country were asked to count wild boar, peacocks, monkeys and lorises -- a small, largely nocturnal primate -- spotted near farms and homes during a five-minute period.

"We started the survey to understand the size of the problem," Jayakodi told reporters in Colombo. "But we now have to review the results... there have been issues with some unusual data."

Jayakodi said officials would return to assess data before releasing the final results of the survey, which was aimed at drawing up a national plan to deal with nuisance wildlife.

Opposition legislator Nalin Bandara said the survey was "a complete failure, a waste of money".

Officials say more than a third of crops are destroyed by wild animals, including elephants that are protected by law because they are considered sacred.

While elephants are major raiders of rice farms and fruit plantations, they were not included in the March count.

The then agricultural minister proposed in 2023 exporting some 100,000 toque macaques to Chinese zoos but the monkey business was abandoned following protests from environmentalists.

Sri Lanka removed several species from its protected list in 2023, including all three of its monkey species as well as peacocks and wild boars, allowing farmers to kill them.