Kittens and penguins wander aquariums emptied by coronavirus — and people love it
Zoos and aquariums are empty during the coronavirus outbreak, but that hasn’t stopped animals from wandering — or waddling — through their halls.
Social media users just can’t get enough of watching penguins, kittens and even a porcupine explore their surroundings.
Love was in the air as two curious penguins roamed the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. The nesting pair got a glimpse of a fish tank and even stopped by the information desk, according to video posted to Twitter last month.
“I... I love them,” one person commented. “Thank you for this bright spot in a tough week!”
The Georgia Aquarium amped up the cuteness when it brought in baby animals from the Atlanta Humane Society.
Two foster puppies darted through the Ocean Voyager exhibit and snuggled for a nap, videos show. Then, five kittens on a trip got their chance to peek at tropical fish, a post from Monday shows.
“It’s just been cuteness all around!” one person wrote on Twitter.
Zoos have also let animals explore their facilities in recent weeks.
Nolina the porcupine journeyed through the Oregon Zoo in Portland, a video posted Friday shows. The prickly critter can be seen visiting a monkey and giraffes all before nibbling on a snack.
The recent videos weren’t the only ones showing animals meeting new species at zoos and aquariums.
The Maryland Zoo posted a video of a duck checking out a tank of penguins. And footage from the San Diego Zoo shows primates getting a visit from a coati, an animal related to a raccoon, according to National Geographic.
Several facilities that care for animals have been closed to the public to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Some venues, such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, are posting video feeds to let people keep up with animals.
This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Kittens and penguins wander aquariums emptied by coronavirus — and people love it."
