Pittsburgh Zoo Macaroni Penguins Celebrate 33rd Birthdays

Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Two macaroni penguins celebrated a major milestone at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium on Sunday.

"That's my favorite part of the job. It's really inspiring, seeing the wonder in people's faces when they realize, you know, just how amazing these animals are," Jessica Reis, a penguin keeper at the Pittsburgh Zoo, said.

There was a big celebration at the zoo as the two penguins turned 33 years old. "Mickey" and "Mr. T" are now the two oldest penguins in Pittsburgh.

"In the wild, they would only live 10 to 15 years. Here at the zoo, they don't have any predators. They get excellent veterinary care, so they can push into the mid- to late 30s," Reis said. "Penguins, macaroni penguins, in the wild face issues like marine pollution, plastics in the ocean, global climate change and also over-fishing of their food sources."

To celebrate, the penguins were treated to a birthday cake made from a frozen block of ice filled with capelin and smelt.

Mickey and Mr. T arrived at the zoo 14 years ago.

If you would like to visit them, the Pittsburgh Zoo is offering free admission until the end of November.