Adorable photos of animals meeting each other at zoos and aquariums to get you through the week

Anneta KonstantinidesApr 28, 2020, 04:28 IST

Carmen the penguin meets Kayavak the Beluga whale at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.Shedd Aquarium

As people around the world continue to stay at home, animals at zoos and aquariums are freely wandering around and meeting each other.
Staff have been using the empty spaces to find new ways to keep their animals entertained and engaged.
The Beluga whales at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago were fascinated by the penguins, while the dolphins at Texas State Aquarium literally flipped with excitement over meeting a sloth.
Orangutans and otters have become best friends at a zoo in Belgium, while gorillas jumped for joy at the chance to see alpacas in Canada.
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As people around the world continue to stay at home, animals at aquariums and zoos are getting the chance to meet each other for the very first time.

From penguins and whales to orangutans and otters, new friendships are blossoming everywhere.

Insider has rounded up some of our favorite animal meet-ups to help get you through the week, and we'll keep adding to it as new connections continue to form across the globe.

Read the original article on Insider

The gorillas rushed to get a closer look before jumping up and down and banging on the glass in excitement.

The gorillas were jumping with excitement. Toronto Zoo

Gorillas at the Toronto Zoo in Canada were even more excited when they got the chance to meet a few alpacas.

These alpacas got to meet gorillas at Toronto Zoo in Canada. Toronto Zoo

Earlier this month, a group of gorillas, some penguins, and an aardvark all had a "playdate" together at the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida.

A gorilla meets a penguin at Jacksonville Zoo in Florida. Jacksonville Zoo

Uijan and Berani have become especially close to their otter neighbors, often chasing each other around and playing hide-and-seek.

Berani the orangutan plays with an otter. Pascale Jones/Pairi Daiza

Over in Belgium, a family of orangutans are currently living in harmony with a group of otters.

A family of orangutans have become best friends with a group of otters at a Belgium zoo. Pascale Jones/Pairi Daiza

The kittens looked around in wonder as they explored the aquarium, even pawing at the glass as they watched all the fish.

The kittens were fascinated by the brightly-colored tropical fish. Georgia Aquarium

The puppies had so much fun that, just a few weeks later, the Atlanta Humane Society brought over some foster kittens to the aquarium.

Five adorable foster kittens got to explore Georgia Aquarium. Georgia Aquarium

The adorable puppies then took a nap right by their new fish friends.

The adorable pups got to meet plenty of beautiful animals. Georgia Aquarium

These adorable marine visits inspired the Atlanta Humane Society to bring its foster puppies to the Georgia Aquarium.

Puppies Carmel and Odie at Georgia Aquarium. Georgia Aquarium

One of the dolphins even did an impression of Chico, flipping upside down to mimic his position on a branch.

One of the dolphins even did an impression of Chico. Texas State Aquarium

Over at Texas State Aquarium, the dolphins were literally flipping for joy when they were introduced to one very sleepy sloth.

Dolphins Liko and Schooner were very excited to meet Chico the sloth. Texas State Aquarium

The visits have continued well into April, with staff members continuing to introduce their penguins to different animals.

Iris the penguin meets the jellyfish at Shedd Aquarium. Shedd Aquarium

The Belugas were especially fascinated by Wellington, a rockhopper penguin.

These field trips provide a new way to keep the animals enriched while the aquarium remains closed. Shedd Aquarium

A few weeks later, staff at Shedd introduced the penguins to the aquarium's Beluga whales — and it was hard to tell who was more starstruck.

Carmen the penguin meets Kayavak the Beluga whale. Shedd Aquarium

Staff saw the empty aquarium as an opportunity to enrich their animals in new and exciting ways.

Edward and Annie, a bonded pair of rockhopper penguins who are together for the nesting season, got to tour the aquarium's rotunda. Shedd Aquarium

It was the penguins roaming around Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, that first captured our attention — and our hearts — in March.

Monte the penguin meets at dolphin at Shedd Aquarium. Shedd Aquarium

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