Life has been a bit lonely for SEA LIFE London Aquarium's resident Gentoo Penguins during the country's pandemic lockdown (which was lifted today). According to their minders, the penguins enjoy staring at and listening to guests as much as they do them.
As part of the penguins' enrichment programs (and, well, to keep them entertained), a TV has been placed by the enclosure with "controlled screen time." Penguins -- they're just like kids!
Said controlled screen time includes Christmas classics and the crowd favorite happens to be 2003's "Elf," starring Will Ferrell.
“It’s great to see how much our Gentoo Penguins are enjoying the Christmas movies we’ve put on for them," Leah Pettitt, Aquarist at SEA LIFE London Aquarium, said in a press release earlier this week. "We know that they watch and listen to our visitors just as much as the visitors enjoy watching the penguins. So, whilst they are enjoying these festive films they’re still, just like us, very much looking forward to our real-life guests returning this week.”
Watch the penguins catch some of the movie below.