While closures and lockdowns might be bad news for most of us, someone who has very much benefited is a penguin by the name of Rey.
Rey - a young African penguin - is a resident at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, US. As part of the aquarium’s ongoing enrichment scheme for its penguins, Rey gets regular walks around the aquarium, be that taking a ride in the lift, investigating the sea otters or touring the Kelp Forest exhibit.
Rey is six-years-old, having hatched in 2014 and was diagnosed with cataracts, diminishing her confidence with her colony and aquarium staff.
The penguin has since undergone surgery to correct her vision, which aquarium staff say has resulted in an increase in both confidence and curiosity, with Rey now one of the most eager penguins to go and explore the aquarium.
Not only is this a fun video, the aquarium walks offer great stimulus to the penguins, boosting both their mental and physical health while preventing monotonous and repetitive behaviour from the animals.
Rey has most certainly taken full advantage of these adventures and has been described by the aquarium staff as being “highly observant of any changes in her environment”, the staff also say : “looking back, we realise we should never have underestimated this penguin because she can do what other penguins do, just in a slightly modified way.”
While closures and lockdowns might be bad news for most of us, someone who has very much benefited is a penguin by the name of Rey.
Rey - a young African penguin - is a resident at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, US. As part of the aquarium’s ongoing enrichment scheme for its penguins, Rey gets regular walks around the aquarium, be that taking a ride in the lift, investigating the sea otters or touring the Kelp Forest exhibit.
Rey is six-years-old, having hatched in 2014 and was diagnosed with cataracts, diminishing her confidence with her colony and aquarium staff.
The penguin has since undergone surgery to correct her vision, which aquarium staff say has resulted in an increase in both confidence and curiosity, with Rey now one of the most eager penguins to go and explore the aquarium.
Not only is this a fun video, the aquarium walks offer great stimulus to the penguins, boosting both their mental and physical health while preventing monotonous and repetitive behaviour from the animals.
Rey has most certainly taken full advantage of these adventures and has been described by the aquarium staff as being “highly observant of any changes in her environment”, the staff also say : “looking back, we realise we should never have underestimated this penguin because she can do what other penguins do, just in a slightly modified way.”
