World Penguin Day is this Saturday (April 25, 2020), and two new residents of the Dan and Vi McKinney Penguin Habitat at the San Diego Zoo are starting the weekend celebration early by practicing what penguins do best—swimming.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, San Diego Zoo Global is launching a Virtual Earth Day Celebration, where online visitors can participate in fun activities and gain access to educational resources—all while learning ways to better co-exist with nature.

Starting April 3, 2020, the San Diego Zoo is inviting anyone with a smartphone or computer to join a mission—if they choose to accept it—to virtually explore the wonders of wildlife by connecting to a myriad of delightful online happenings, including games, contests, livestreaming cams, videos, a dance party and much more.

For the next eight weeks, as part of San Diego Zoo Global’s effort to support the community during the ongoing pandemic, middle and high school teachers and students can gain access to 22 free, self-paced online courses covering a variety of taxonomic groups and individual animal species. 

The San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park are closed temporarily due to COVID-19 restrictions, but members and guests can rest assured that the much-beloved animals and plants at both parks are being well cared for by teams of dedicated caregivers.