Gatherings of more than 50 people have been banned in the state of Illinois, which currently has 105 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the Washington Post reports.
But that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop.
Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is closed to the public, but the closure gave employees the chance to take some of the aquarium’s cutest residents on a field trip.
On Sunday, the aquarium shared a video of Wellington, a 30-year-old rockhopper penguin who got the chance to explore and meet other animals in the aquarium. The video has nearly 3 million views.
Penguins in the Amazon?! 🐧🌴
— Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) March 15, 2020
Some of the penguins went on a field trip to meet other animals at Shedd. Wellington seemed most interested in the fishes in Amazon Rising! The black-barred silver dollars also seemed interested in their unusual visitor. pic.twitter.com/KgYWsp5VQD
On Monday, the aquarium shared videos of two more rockhopper penguins named Edward and Annie, exploring another area of the building together.
The adventure continues! 🐧🐧
— Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) March 16, 2020
This morning, Edward and Annie explored Shedd’s rotunda. They are a bonded pair of rockhopper penguins, which means they are together for nesting season. Springtime is nesting season for penguins at Shedd, and this year is no different! (1/3) 👇 pic.twitter.com/VdxN3oQAfe
While this may be a strange time for us, these days feel normal for animals at Shedd. Our caregivers are constantly providing new experiences for the animals to explore and express their natural behaviors with. Let us know what penguin activities you would like to see! (3/3) pic.twitter.com/ftlow7iPHl
— Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) March 16, 2020
And on March 17, the penguins got to have a party with their caretakers to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
It's a #StPatricksDay penguin party! 💚🐧 While we can't go out & party, the animals can! Our caretakers are committed to providing enriching activities (like edible shamrocks) for the animals with or without guests here to see it. Check in throughout the day to see more! pic.twitter.com/Xz1bXd2zk0
— Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) March 17, 2020
CBS News reports that hundreds of viewers have responded to the tweets, saying they feel happier after watching the adorable rockhopper field trip.
”Thank you for making me smile,” one user wrote, according to CBS News. “Please keep doing this. This is the content we need right now,”
NBC Chicago reports that the Shedd Aquarium plans to reopen on March 29.