Are penguins the international symbol for happiness, joy and love all rolled into one?

No?

Well, they should be.

A few days ago, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago announced that they will be following social distancing protocol and closing their doors to the public through (at least) March 29. But thankfully that hasn’t stopped them from having fun with their cute little friends. Under the watchful eyes of staff members, their penguins have been going on “field trips” around the facility to meet their neighbors. (And it’s the cutest thing we could ever ask for.)

It started first with Wellington meeting the black-barred silver dollars in the Amazon Rising! exhibit.

 

Then we got to meet Annie and Edward, a bonded pair of rockhopper penguins, who adorably waddled around the rotunda side-by-side, exploring the main tank. They are together for nesting season (live coverage of their nest-building next week, Shedd says), and we’re rooting for them.

Because this “new normal” for us human couples, nesting in close quarters as many parents are working from home due to the coronavirus, is already proving to be… well, let’s just say… closer than we could ever imagine. We’re finding new, more efficient (hopefully!) ways to communicate together and so, we wish Annie and Edward all the best as they navigate their nesting adventures to come.

 

“While this may be a strange time for us, these days feel normal for animals at Shedd,” the Shedd Aquariaum’s Twitter account shared. “Our caregivers are constantly providing new experiences for the animals to explore and express their natural behaviors with.” They asked followers to let them know what kind of penguin activities they want to see, so go tell them if you have a good idea. We know we’ll be watching!

Thank you, Shedd Aquarium, for not only taking such great care of your animals, but for also giving us all the happiness break we need right now. We love your penguins and are now seriously considering adopting one. (Quick question, can they live with us if we do that?)

(FYI—The Shedd Aquarium also offers free videos for our little explorers at home to learn all about their favorite underwater creatures, Sea Curious, in case you need to add something new to the mix.)