On Sunday, the rockhopper penguins at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago got a taste of life on the other side of the glass as they explored the other exhibits in the empty aquarium.
"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 behaviors."
The museum, which attracts more than 2 million visitors annually, closed Friday for two weeks amid coronavirus fears. It houses dozens of species including 30 penguins.
»MORE: Georgia Aquarium, World of Coke to close for weeks due to coronavirus
Recently, a group of penguins went on a field trip to see the other exhibits around the aquarium to keep the penguins stimulated and curious without the excitement of daily visitors.
According to a tweet, one penguin especially enjoyed the Amazon River basin exhibit.
Even though the building is closed to visitors, the staff still cares for the animals 24/7 as usual.
Guests can stay up to date on Shedd’s Twitter account to get an inside look behind the aquarium’s closed doors. You can even request an update on a favorite animal!
“Thank you Shedd Aquarium for continuing to post...we need our smiles wherever we can get them,” one Twitter user responded.
In Atlanta, the Georgia Aquarium also announced its closing due to COVID-19 starting last Saturday.
