He’s one of the most famous black and white animals in San Diego and he just celebrated a very rare milestone. Best Friend is a male macaroni penguin at SeaWorld San Diego, and he just turned 40.
“I still think he looks quite dashing for 40 years old,” laughed Katie Belnick, one of SeaWorld’s zoological specialist for birds. “Every single day that I get to come and see him just warms my heart.”
Best Friend was hatched in San Diego in 1984. Belnick said the average macaroni penguin is lucky to live 15 years in the wild and 30 years in captivity. That makes Best Friend a rarity.
“It’s just a testament to the awesome care that we can provide these animals,” explained Belnick. “Conservation and having ambassador animals to represent those species is what we’re all about.”
Belnick and her coworkers at the Penguin Encounter said fewer than 1% of penguins live to see 40.
“Reaching 40 years old is an absolute humongous milestone,” she said.
While Best Friend is currently SeaWorld’s oldest penguin, he’s hardly the record holder. Belnick said they had an emperor penguin reach 49-years-old a few years ago.
