One of North America’s oldest penguins lives right here in Pittsburgh and she just celebrated a remarkable birthday.
Mickey, the macaroni penguin at Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium celebrated her 40th birthday on Sunday.
According to the Zoo, penguins have a lifespan between 10 and 15 years in the wild and, in human care, have a median life expectancy of 26.3 years.
Mickey hatched from an egg in 1984 at SeaWorld in San Diego. She moved to the Zoo in 2003.
“Mickey is a gem and the sweetest penguin in our colony! She was hand-reared and loves everyone that she meets,” says Aquarist Shanna Gay. “She is well-known to trumpet – a sound of happiness – when she meets new people!”
The Zoo says Mickey gets up before the rest of the penguins and gets to have a solo morning swim before a “long afternoon rest”.
Hey Mickey…Happy belated birthday!