Celebrate National Penguin Day with Shedd Aquarium

January 20^th is National  Penguin Day and it is more than just a day to celebrate these tuxedo-wearing birds, but to also learn how we can help them survive the changes to their homes from global warming. By the end of the century it is estimated that Emperor and Adelie penguin populations could be reduced by more than 50% and more and more penguin colonies are being lost due to the changing environment. 

Want to explore and learn more about penguins?  Who better to help us learn than Chicago's own Shedd Aquarium!

Watch Stay Home with Shedd Episode 1: Penguins

What is life like as a penguin? While these flightless birds don’t take to the skies, underwater it’s a different story. Penguins are swift swimmers, literally flying underwater as fast as 15 mph. Instead of wings, they have powerful flippers that enable them to dive for their prey, avoid predators, and play! Penguins have many other adaptations that help them survive—inducing their iconic black and white coloration! Join us as we uncover all the (surprising!) ways penguins coloring helps them thrive.

After you have watched the Penguins Stay at Home video, take a deeper dive by exploring additional adaptations of both penguins and the birds in your backyard. You’ll investigate more unique penguin and bird features and create a science journal to record your work. Work on your own or with your family and share your findings with @SheddLearning by using hashtag #StayHomeWithShedd.

Shedd Aquarium can help you get even closer to penguins with their Virtual Penguin Encounter!  This is a unique way to meet the Shedd penguins up close in their own habitat! Will you waddle with Wellington? Hang out with rockhopper penguin pair Edward and Annie? Meet Magellanic penguins Izzy and Darwin?  

For only $49.95 your family can visit their home from the comfort of your own!  If you would like to share it with another household they have a special deal where you can get two links for a discounted price of $69.95 (even more savings available for members!)  Virtual Penguin Encounters are available on weekends through mid-March.  Other animal encounters are also available at this time!