SeaWorld’s Penguin Reaches 40th Birthday Milestone

Best Friend, a male macaroni penguin at SeaWorld San Diego, recently celebrated his 40th birthday, a rare milestone for penguins. Typically, macaroni penguins live to about 15 years in the wild and 30 years in captivity, making Best Friend a testament to the care provided at SeaWorld. The staff at the Penguin Encounter, where Best Friend lives, noted that fewer than 1% of penguins live to see 40, making it a huge milestone. While Best Friend is currently the oldest penguin at SeaWorld, they previously had an emperor penguin reach 49 years old. Belnick, a SeaWorld zoological specialist, expressed joy in being able to care for Best Friend and other ambassador animals that represent their species for conservation purposes. Congratulations poured in for Best Friend as he continues to thrive at SeaWorld despite his advancing age.

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