The city may be locked down with the public life in stay, but the ice caps dwellers seem unwary of the pandemic scare grappling out there. The latest video from the Chicago Shedd Aquarium that is currently closed to the public in the wake of the novel coronavirus or Covid-19, shows its penguin gang roaming around free inside the aquarium, meeting its fellow inmates. With no humans to get in the way, the flightless birds truly seem to have a time of their lives.

penguins at shedd
penguins at shedd

No quarantine for birdies

"We want these guys to be out and around... comfortable in their homes," says Steve Aibel, the senior director of animal behaviour and training, to the Fox News.

The caretakers at the aquarium have let Wellington, Edward and Annie — the most curious inhabitants of the place — for a "field trip" for a few days. Aibel adds up that these types of "field trips" weren't rare for Shedd's animals at all. "This is pretty much a part of our animal welfare for every animal we have in our aquarium."

wellington
wellington

The three musketeers 

Edward and Annie is 'a bonded pair of rockhopper penguins, which means they are together for nesting season.' The happy video has sparked an outpouring of sweet comments from viewers and shows how Wellington, a 32-year-old rockhopper penguin seemed to be the most interested in the fishes in the Amazon Rising. "The black-barred silver dollars also seemed interested in their unusual visitor," the aquarium wrote in a post that also contained footage of Wellington staring at the large fish tank.

According to the Shedd, the caregivers are constantly providing new activities, experiences, food and more to allow the animals to express natural behaviours—even if that includes simply exploring. "Let us know what penguin activities you want to see!" says the aquarium.

Watch the video here: 

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