Chicago | Penguin Encounter at Brookfield Zoo 🐧

When I visited Antarctica, I strictly followed the Antarctic Treaty and kept a five-meter distance from the penguins. But I still felt a bit disappointed that I couldn't touch them. Recently, I discovered that Brookfield Zoo in the Chicago suburbs offers a chance to get up close and personal with penguins, so I chose a less crowded weekday to visit these little guys. 🐧 🐧 The penguins available for encounters here are Humboldt penguins. These are a unique species that live along the coasts of Peru and Chile (not in Antarctica) and are considered vulnerable. The zookeepers carefully explained the reasons for the decline in Humboldt penguin numbers and outlined the interaction guidelines before letting the penguins into the room. 🐧 The number of penguins entering the room varies. The keepers open the door, and the penguins decide for themselves whether to join the visitors. On our day, it was four visitors versus six penguins—an amazing experience! 🐧 In photo three, you can see the little penguins entering the room and looking around curiously. They pecked at our shoes and investigated our coats, showing great energy. The keepers also provided enrichment toys (photo four), which were basically just ordinary cat toys. 😼 🐧 Photo five shows the penguins' "masterpieces." These paintings are actually postcards made by the penguins stepping on paint. The money from purchasing these postcards goes toward the conservation of Humboldt penguins. 🐧 After interacting with the penguins, we spent some time exploring the zoo. As a cat lover, I couldn't move when I saw the sand cat (photo six) and the clouded leopard (photo nine)—I just wanted to pet them so badly! 😻 According to the zoo's website, the penguin encounter is also available on weekends, but I imagine it gets quite crowded, which might affect the experience. If possible, I recommend coming on a weekday to enjoy a more intimate encounter with the penguins. 🐧 Brookfield Zoo #FoodieSummerMeow #ChicagoLife #Chicago #ChicagoTravel #CloseEncountersWithAnimals #LifeInTheZoo #NorthAmericanLife #Penguins #DayAtTheZoo #WhatToSeeAtTheZoo