Gay penguin couple given egg to hatch

[davidc4430]

Gay penguin couple given egg after failing to hatch stones at Berlin Zoo

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-15/male-penguin-couple-adopt-abandoned-egg-at-berlin-zoo/1141572...

look, just because a guy likes to sit on a rock that doesnt make him gay!

i have been known to enjoy sitting on a rock looking out to sea on a nice day. i'm not gay!

or am i?.......hmmmmm

[not_for_sale2025]

It states, "In the wild, traditional king penguin couples share incubation duties". So it is a natural instinct.

But because these two are sharing the duties and are both male, they are supposedly gay!

You can't even be a penguin and escape the sickness of some human minds.

[imastawka]

From the link -

Zookeepers said it became clear the male king penguins were a couple within weeks of their arrival from Hamburg this year as they displayed partnership rituals.

[tasfleur]

[not_for_sale2025]

What rituals though?

"Ten-year-old Skipper and Ping soon began displaying their instincts as nurturers by trying to hatch stones and even fish, a zoo spokesman said".

Nurturing duties are naturally shared. If they both have strong paternal instincts, then that doesn't make them gay.

[imastawka]

There's plenty of homosexuality in the animal kingdom already documented.

No species has been found in which homosexual behaviour has not been shown to exist, with the exception of species that never have sex at all, such as sea urchins and aphis. Moreover, a part of the animal kingdom is hermaphroditic, truly bisexual. For them, homosexuality is not an issue.

https://www.google.com/search?q=homosexuality+in+animal+kingdom&ie=&oe=

Why are you offended?  Or seem to be, at least.

[not_for_sale2025]

I'm not offended. I just think it's typical to make assumptions about behaviour and label it i.e. "gay".

As you mentioned, the article states, "Zookeepers said it became clear the male king penguins were a couple within weeks of their arrival from Hamburg this year as they displayed partnership rituals".

There is no mention that the partnership rituals included them bonking each other. The article is about them sharing incubation duties, albeit trying to hatch stones and a fish is a little odd. But the conclusion by the journalist (at least) is that they are gay.

Do you agree with the journalist's conclusion based on the information?

[imastawka]

In the wild, traditional king penguin couples share incubation duties.

I'm assuming that the zookeepers know their stuff, and if this couple have not tried to mate with any female, then it's logical to assume.

I don't care either way.

I just thought you jumped on the outrage bus a little too quickly, is all.

[not_for_sale2025]

Outrage? From offended to outrage. Ok, I get it.

Best we leave it at that.

[tasfleur]

I love penguins.  There is something about the way they "march" together, communicate and generally are quite a happy bunch.

"Mr. Popper's Penguins" was a gorgeous movie, and the way friendship and cooperation was factored into it was so special.