Gay Penguins become fathers
In what appears to be a world first (at least observed), a Danish zoo's King penguin chick has two "adoptive" fathers.
Zoologists at the Odense zoo in Denmark realised long ago that they had
a gay couple among the King penguins. In brooding season these gay
penguins took to trying to incubate dead herring. Penguins, males and
females in turn, incubate eggs by standi
ng
on them (holding them in a fold above their feet). It was then the
zoo-keepers realised that the gay couple badly wanted to have an egg.
Soon after, they observed that a female penguin had abandoned her egg,
and they decided to give the egg to the couple (after first testing
their parenting skills on a ball). In King penguins, both the male and
female help incubation, and same was observed with the gay couple.
The chick hatched about a month ago and they function as a normal family.
And although this is the first observed instance of a gay King penguin
couple, this is not the first observation of gay penguins.
Male
Chinstrap penguins at Central Park Zoo in New York City had also been
observed to adopt and rear an egg. Also, a German zoo helped two gay
Humbolt penguins hatch and nurture an egg.
Source:
1) http://www.thestar.com/news/
2) http://www.thespec.com/news/
3) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Image credit: Odense zoo
Gay Penguins become fathers
In what appears to be a world first (at least observed), a Danish zoo's King penguin chick has two "adoptive" fathers.
Zoologists at the Odense zoo in Denmark realised long ago that they had a gay couple among the King penguins. In brooding season these gay penguins took to trying to incubate dead herring. Penguins, males and females in turn, incubate eggs by standi
In what appears to be a world first (at least observed), a Danish zoo's King penguin chick has two "adoptive" fathers.
Zoologists at the Odense zoo in Denmark realised long ago that they had a gay couple among the King penguins. In brooding season these gay penguins took to trying to incubate dead herring. Penguins, males and females in turn, incubate eggs by standi
ng
on them (holding them in a fold above their feet). It was then the
zoo-keepers realised that the gay couple badly wanted to have an egg.
Soon after, they observed that a female penguin had abandoned her egg, and they decided to give the egg to the couple (after first testing their parenting skills on a ball). In King penguins, both the male and female help incubation, and same was observed with the gay couple.
The chick hatched about a month ago and they function as a normal family.
And although this is the first observed instance of a gay King penguin couple, this is not the first observation of gay penguins.
Male Chinstrap penguins at Central Park Zoo in New York City had also been observed to adopt and rear an egg. Also, a German zoo helped two gay Humbolt penguins hatch and nurture an egg.
Source:
1) http://www.thestar.com/news/
2) http://www.thespec.com/news/
3) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Image credit: Odense zoo
Soon after, they observed that a female penguin had abandoned her egg, and they decided to give the egg to the couple (after first testing their parenting skills on a ball). In King penguins, both the male and female help incubation, and same was observed with the gay couple.
The chick hatched about a month ago and they function as a normal family.
And although this is the first observed instance of a gay King penguin couple, this is not the first observation of gay penguins.
Male Chinstrap penguins at Central Park Zoo in New York City had also been observed to adopt and rear an egg. Also, a German zoo helped two gay Humbolt penguins hatch and nurture an egg.
Source:
1) http://www.thestar.com/news/
2) http://www.thespec.com/news/
3) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Image credit: Odense zoo
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