Aquarium experts are planning a romantic getaway for eight African penguin couples so they will hopefully have better luck mating.
The New England Aquarium is creating what it calls "honeymoon suites" for the birds, reported The Associated Press. The suites will consist of plastic igloo-style homes and private nooks away from the main exhibit to give them some privacy so they will hopefully decide to make penguin babies.
This special romantic gesture by the aquarium experts is an attempt to breed the endangered birds. If they don't mate, it's expected for the population to go extinct by 2025, reported AP.
While it may seem extravagant to create such a romantic environment for birds to mate, it could be helpful since penguins - like humans - are very particular with whom they mate with, according to Penguins World. African penguins typically form lifelong mating rituals with one partner.
When African Penguins reproduce the female lays two eggs and both parents sit on the eggs together until they hatch.
