Zoo Denies Gay Male Penguins' Desire to Feather Joint Nest

11/08/2011

Out and Proud, More Than A Hook Up

Unfolding like a Shakespearean tragedy, Buddy and Pedro, an inseparable, bonded pair of gay African penguins at the Toronto Zoo, will be separated according to a report in The Toronto Star. The zoo's decision has riled feathers across the nation, particularly with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The zoo has chosen to separate the lovebirds as the two males were intended for a breeding program, which could help strengthen their species in captivity. Buddy and Pedro are said to have quality genes that would pass on to any offspring they might father.

[Daddy Dearest: Read about five fantastic animal dads]

Both males were bred in captivity and 10-year-old Pedro apparently likes older (more established?) penguins, as Buddy is twice his age. The Toronto Star has reported that Buddy and Pedro are inseparable and show signs of traditional mating behaviors...such as going antiquing together and thowing fantastic cocktail parties.

Lots of Fabulous Penguins Have Come Before

Gay male penguin couples appear to be fairly common. According to Discovery News, The Central Park zoo has turned out to be the Castro of the penguin world, with several homosexual pairs observed there. Perhaps the most famous couple is Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins who incubated an egg and together raised the hatched chick, named Tango. A children's book, And Tango Makes Three, chronicles this event of about 6 years ago.

What do you think... should Buddy & Pedro be allowed to remain together despite the diminishing population of African penguins?

Learn more about Buddy & Pedro in the video below--