A photo of two penguins cuddling together while admiring the Melbourne skyline has captured the hearts of many, while also provoking emotional response from people around the world as humans are forced to stay at home and practice social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Photographer Tobias Baumgaertner snapped the photo in St. Kilda, Australia last year, but only shared the images on Instagram now. It started trending after being shared on Twitter, too.
“Couldn’t stop thinking about these penguins enjoying the Melbourne skyline together so I found the original photographer and apparently, they’re both widowed, I can’t handle it,” tweeted Matt, the man who made the photo go viral which has now 141,000 likes and 44,500 retweets.
Baumgaertner said the two Fairy penguins were standing their four hours, watching the sparkling lights of the skyline and ocean.
“A volunteer approached me and told me that the whote one was an elderly lady who had lost her partner and apparently so did the younger male to the left,” Baumagaertner said. “Since then they meet regularly comforting each other and tsanding together for hours watching the dancing lights of the nearby city.”
Baumgaertner said he spent three full nights with the penguin colony before hetting his snaps. And one night, he got lucky to get the beautiful picture.
“Pain has brought them together. I guess sometimes you find love when you least expect it. It’s a privilege to truly love someone, paradisiacal when they love you back,” he added.
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