Pretty soon the same-sex penguin parents will be able to form a support group. Z and Vielpunkt, one of three same-sex penguin pairs at Bemerhaven Zoo in Germany, have become surrogate parents to an egg rejected by an opposite-sex pair, according to The Local.
“‘The two penguins, who have been together for more than five years, have proven to be loving parents and evidently happy fathers,’ said [Dr. Joachim Schöne, the zoo veterinarian]. ‘”It’s really touching how they both care for the chick.'”
According to the zoo, such homosexuality is nothing out of the ordinary in the animal kingdom. And since penguins split parenting work evenly, there are no traditional motherly or fatherly roles.
Schöne said the zoo was ecstatic the gay birds decided to take on the trials of fatherhood and they were “absolutely” accepted by the rest of the penguins.
The zoo has maintained a mix of homosexual and heterosexual Humboldt penguin pairs on its grounds for over three years. Zookeepers had tried to encourage the gay birds to breed with some imported females brought in from Sweden in 2006, but they stayed faithful to their homosexual partners.
At least the zookeepers will be able to read the chicks a nice picture book
Who has marketed penguin suits for the gay dads contingents in Pride this year? If I were a costume company I’d be churning those things out like crazy (you know, w/ lightweight cottons & lycras, in consideration of the hot weather of late June) and then blitzing all the gay media with ads.
Or, if that link doesn’t work, here.
Awesome idea! And some company should make little stuffed penguins to give away to the kiddies. Hey, Rosie….
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