For us humans, putting love on ice isn't usually the sign of a good relationship, but that's not the case for gentoo penguin couple Buster and 99.
The loved-up couple are celebrating their 24th nesting season together this year at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium.
According to Stats NZ, the average length of a human marriage in New Zealand is just 14 years - which means Buster and 99 have a full decade of successful cohabitation on us mere mortals!
As well as being only one year off their silver anniversary, the happy couple has reared 19 babies, including their eldest Goofy who turns 24 this year, and Flora who is turning nine.
Neither Buster or 99 would talk to Newshub today, but penguin keeper Kristen Buckley spoke about the couple.
"We are so happy to see Buster and 99 coupling up for yet another nesting season this year - as they are our longest-standing couple in the gentoo penguin colony," Buckley said.
"After 24 years together the pair have their nesting routine down pat, and year after year we see them sharing the nest building and egg incubating responsibilities like the seasoned parents they are."
When courting each other for the nesting season, gentoo penguins will be seen to call and bow to each other, which usually leads to the couple spending a lot of time together.
And these penguins are very modern. During the nesting period and beyond, they share equal responsibilities including collecting rocks, nest-building and child-raising.
The ritual of collecting rocks is practical - as the pebbles are a valuable nest-building activity. A pair of gentoo penguins will already be closely bonded before they begin bringing pebbles to each other to build their nest.
"Due to the harsh nature of the Sub-Antarctic islands where the gentoo penguins call home, it is extremely hard to raise a chick. Unlike other birds where one parent can raise a whole clutch of eggs by themselves, both penguin parents need to work together to successfully raise their chicks," Buckley said.
She said finding the right match is crucial to a successful penguin family.
"They can't afford to have a partner that isn't very good at catching food or finding nesting material because this means that their chicks are very unlikely to make it to adulthood," she said.
