Turning 40 is a big achievement. For many, it symbolizes settling down in life and providing for their families; others prefer seizing the opportunity to spend their hard-earned money on vacations and cars galore. However, for Best Friend, a furry 40-year-old macaroni penguin at SeaWorld San Diego, turning 40 resembles a life-defying feat (and one zoological expert hopes to continue).
Penguins are known to have moderate lifespans, with most species living for anywhere between 15 to 20 years. Yet macaroni penguins (a species of penguins named for their yellow-stranded hair) usually live only 8 to 10 years, meaning Best Friend has exceeded his estimated lifespan by four times! For comparison, if a human were to live four times their expected age, they would exist for 292 years (or 50 years older than the United States)!
Hatched at SeaWorld in 1984, Best Friend’s extraordinary feat couldn’t have been possible without his caretaker and “best friend” Katie Belnick.
“I still think he looks quite dashing for 40 years old,” Belnick jokingly said in an NBC News interview. “Every single day that I get to come and see him just warms my heart.”
Although his sight has been severely affected by age, Best Friend can still recognize people’s voices with his exceptional hearing and still functions like a normal penguin throughout his exhibit.
Adding to the rarity of the event, macaroni penguins are considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, meaning their populations are dwindling and need to be taken care of to make sure their species still exists for years to come (hence why Best Friend was brought to SeaWorld San Diego).
“It’s just a testament to the awesome care that we can provide these animals,” Belnick stated. “Conservation and having ambassador animals to represent those species is what we’re all about.”
However, Best Friend isn’t the only penguin celebrating his 40-year-old birthday this year; Mickey, a penguin currently residing in the Pittsburgh Zoo will also be celebrating his 40th anniversary this week. Also hatched in San Diego, Mickey transferred to Steel City 21 years ago, adding to SeaWorld San Diego’s growing collection of penguin conservation efforts.
While Best Friend’s age is a remarkable feat, he is well off of the world record set by African penguin ET, who lived to be 43 years and four months at the Metro Richmond Zoo.
You can visit Best Friend at SeaWorld’s world-famous Penguin Encounter in San Diego.