PENGUIN VISITS THE FISH AT SHEDD AQUARIUM
- 4 years ago
An adorable video shows a rockhopper penguin named Wellington waddling around Chicago's Shedd Aquarium looking in wonder at the Amazonian fish swimming behind the glass
Coronavirus is creating a lot of bleak headlines and worrying stories – but there is finally a positive side to the pandemic.
An aquarium in Chicago has had to close its doors to help stop the spread of COVID-19, but the absence of customers means a group of curious rockhopper penguins have been let out of their enclosure and allowed to waddle around the building.
The Shedd Aquarium posted an adorable video to Twitter showing one such penguin named Wellington looking in amazement at a tank full of tropical fish.
"Wellington seemed most interested in the fishes in Amazon Rising!" the aquarium wrote.
"The black-barred silver dollars also seemed interested in their unusual visitor."
The clip has been viewed more than 447,000 times since being uploaded on Sunday, and more than 18,000 Twitter users have liked it.
Many thanked the aquarium for posting the wholesome content, an increasingly rare thing as the pandemic gets worse.
"Thank you Shedd Aquarium for continuing to post... we need our smiles wherever we can get them," one said.
Other photos showed penguins cosying up to dolphins behind the glass.
"Without guests in the building, caretakers are getting creative in how they provide enrichment to animals," the aquarium told the Chicago Tribune.
"Introducing new experiences, activities, foods and more to keep them active, encourage them to explore, problem-solve and express natural behaviours."
The aquarium is set to stay closed until at least March 29 2020.
Thousands of other attractions have also closed as Americans turn to self-isolation and social distancing in a desperate effort to prevent coronavirus infecting more people.
The governor of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered all restaurants, theatres and casinos to close today with "non-essential" shops being urged to do the same.
New York and its two neighbouring states, Connecticut and New Jersey, will also ban gatherings of more than 50 people.
Coronavirus is creating a lot of bleak headlines and worrying stories – but there is finally a positive side to the pandemic.
An aquarium in Chicago has had to close its doors to help stop the spread of COVID-19, but the absence of customers means a group of curious rockhopper penguins have been let out of their enclosure and allowed to waddle around the building.
The Shedd Aquarium posted an adorable video to Twitter showing one such penguin named Wellington looking in amazement at a tank full of tropical fish.
"Wellington seemed most interested in the fishes in Amazon Rising!" the aquarium wrote.
"The black-barred silver dollars also seemed interested in their unusual visitor."
The clip has been viewed more than 447,000 times since being uploaded on Sunday, and more than 18,000 Twitter users have liked it.
Many thanked the aquarium for posting the wholesome content, an increasingly rare thing as the pandemic gets worse.
"Thank you Shedd Aquarium for continuing to post... we need our smiles wherever we can get them," one said.
Other photos showed penguins cosying up to dolphins behind the glass.
"Without guests in the building, caretakers are getting creative in how they provide enrichment to animals," the aquarium told the Chicago Tribune.
"Introducing new experiences, activities, foods and more to keep them active, encourage them to explore, problem-solve and express natural behaviours."
The aquarium is set to stay closed until at least March 29 2020.
Thousands of other attractions have also closed as Americans turn to self-isolation and social distancing in a desperate effort to prevent coronavirus infecting more people.
The governor of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered all restaurants, theatres and casinos to close today with "non-essential" shops being urged to do the same.
New York and its two neighbouring states, Connecticut and New Jersey, will also ban gatherings of more than 50 people.