First came the penguins, then came the puppies. Now it's the kittens' turn to explore.
Five foster kittens got the chance to wander through the empty Georgia Aquarium this week after it temporarily closed.
And with names like Nemo, Dory, Guppy, Bubbles, and Marlin, the adorable kitties fit right in.
Georgia Aquarium teamed up with Atlanta Humane Society to give the kittens a fun day full of adventure — and plenty of new sea creatures.
The month-old kittens ran around the empty aquarium and checked out its many displays, often looking around in wonder or even pawing at the glass as they watched all the fish.
"They were most fascinated by the diver in our Pacific Barrier Reef window, and by the brightly-colored tropical fish," Georgia Aquarium spokesperson Hannah Hardwick told Insider.
Hardwick said the aquarium staff had so much fun with Atlanta Humane Society's foster puppies that they decided to team up again with the animal protection organization.
"This time they brought kittens, and we couldn't have been more smitten!" she added. "We wanted to continue providing cute content to brighten people's day, as well as showcase the aquarium and the great work Atlanta Humane Society does."
"We hope that everyone enjoys the adorable play day as much as we did."
Georgia Aquarium later posted a video of Nemo, Dory, Guppy, Bubbles, and Marlin's day on Twitter, where it racked up thousands of likes and retweets.
—Georgia Aquarium (@GeorgiaAquarium) April 6, 2020
The aquarium is a great place to engage and stimulate kittens, Hardwick told Insider.
"By introducing the kittens to a new space, they are able to learn and explore," she added. "Atlanta Humane Society is committed to providing care to their animals, and the same goes for us at Georgia Aquarium. We love to work with like-minded organizations that care and understand the commitment to animals."
The kittens' visit comes weeks after two adorable puppies named Carmel and Odie got to visit the aquarium.
The foster puppies — who are siblings — met the likes of whale sharks and manta rays as they explored all the aquarium has to offer.
They also ran through Georgia Aquarium's underwater tunnel and played in front of its Ocean Voyager gallery window.
After a busy day, the tired puppies took a nap right by their new fish friends.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Atlanta Humane Society is only doing limited adoptions.
Carmel and Odie will go up for adoption once the organization can fully reopen again. Nemo, Dory, Guppy, Bubbles, and Marlin are currently in a "loving foster home," Hardwick added.
Georgia Aquarium has been closed to the public since March 14. Hardwick told Insider that staff members are still caring for all the animals, making sure "they receive uninterrupted care, enrichment, training sessions, and food!"
The aquarium is also keeping connected to the community and giving updates on Twitter about its animals, including a pregnant Beluga whale named Whisper who is due in a few weeks.
—Georgia Aquarium (@GeorgiaAquarium) March 31, 2020
- Read more:
- Foster puppies went on a field trip to an empty aquarium and got to meet sharks and manta rays
- The penguins who were let loose in a Chicago aquarium met Beluga whales, and it's hard to tell who was more starstruck
- A group of orangutans and otters living together at a Belgium zoo have formed an unlikely friendship
- This dog was so excited his family was working from home during the coronavirus pandemic that he sprained his tail from 'excessive wagging'
