After an aquarium in Chicago was forced to close to visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fans of its adorable animals weren’t left without their cute fix.
The Shedd Aquarium normally welcomes almost two million guests annually and is committed to fostering a world teeming with aquatic life, sustained by individuals who appreciate, understand, and protect it. It conducts essential scientific research, rescue, and conservation efforts both at home in the Great Lakes and around the globe. While unable to open its doors, the aquarium shared delightful footage of cute penguins exploring freely.
“Without guests in the building, caretakers are getting creative in how they provide enrichment to animals,” says Shedd. “They are introducing new experiences, activities, foods, and more to keep them active, encourage exploration, problem-solving, and allow them to express natural behaviors.” In this spirit, the aquarium allowed several of its rockhopper penguins to embark on a “field trip” around the venue to meet other creatures. They truly relished the experience.
Edward and Annie, a bonded rockhopper pair, explored several exhibits together, including Caribbean Reef and the Rivers gallery. Meanwhile, Monte was seen engaging with a dolphin in an adorable manner, while Wellington explored the aquarium’s Amazon Rising exhibition. “Wellington seemed most interested in several freshwater fish species, including red-bellied piranhas and black-barred silver dollars,” the aquarium mentioned. “Those same fish seemed equally curious about Wellington, demonstrating that these enriching field trips benefit all animals involved.”
Follow Shedd Aquarium on Instagram here and visit its official website here.
