Zoo Splits Up 'Gay' Penguin Couple

A pair of African penguins, Buddy and Pedro, who are inseparable and “pair bonding’’ at Toronto Zoo are to be split up to do what they need to do for their endangered species: mate.

The move to split them up is part of a species survival plan among zoos.

“They do courtship and mating behaviors that females and males would do,’’ one keeper told the Toronto Star.

Those behaviors include making a “braying’’ sound, almost like a donkey, as a mating call. They defend their territory, preen each other, and are constantly standing alone together.

Every night Buddy and Pedro pair off together.

“It’s a complicated issue, but they seem to be in a loving relationship of some sort,’’ says Joe Torzsok, chair of the Toronto zoo board.

Buddy and Pedro arrived from Toledo, Ohio, where they formed a connection as members of a bachelor flock.

The species is found on the coast and islands of southern Africa and Namibia.

The present population is probably less than 10% of that in 1900, when there was estimated to be about 1.5 million birds on Dassen Island alone. By 1956, the population had fallen to roughly half that, and had halved again by the late 1970s, when there was an estimated 220,000 adult birds. By the late 1980s, the number had dropped to about 194,000 and in the early 1990s, there was an estimated 179,000 adult birds. Breeding no longer occurs at 10 localities where it formerly occurred or has been suspected to occur.

The major current threats include competition with commercial fisheries for pelagic fish prey, and oil pollution. Given an annual rate of decline of about 2% per year, there is considerable concern about the long-term viability of African Penguins in the wild.

Homosexual behaviour has been observed in close to 1,500 species, ranging from primates to gut worms, and is well documented for 500 of them.

An award-winning children’s book ‘And Tango Makes Three‘ is based on the true story of Roy and Silo, two male Chinstrap Penguins who raised a chick together in New York’s Central Park Zoo. The book is listed on the 15 Most Controversial Picture Books because of the constant challenges made to it by parents and organized Christian groups.

Knit a Sweater, Save a Penguin

Abandoned Penguin Chick Fed By Penguin Puppet (VIDEO)

Image source Toronto Zoo Say It With Penguins

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Margie B.

10:44PM PST on Jan 30, 2012

So their gay - So what? They are happy - aren't they?

send a green star

Eva W.

11:26PM PST on Dec 23, 2011

Soul mates are not necessarily of the opposite sex or even the same species. They are meant to be as they are and should continue to be together. Love is love, no matter how it is presented to the world or in private.

Isabelle J.

5:03PM PST on Dec 9, 2011

Leave them alone!

Marlene D.

12:57PM PST on Dec 9, 2011

they need to be letf alone they are happy they belong together they will be great parents. better them somehumanes.

Lika S.

1:19AM PST on Nov 21, 2011

Um, what part of gay are we not understanding that won't mate with a female to produce offspring? Leave them together. They're mates.

Ann S.

12:50AM PST on Nov 17, 2011

Geez, the penguins are gay. Leave them alone - how are they harming you? They're not! Is it so hard for people to let animals just be?

Jerry t.

9:51PM PST on Nov 13, 2011

Another bastion of Christianity falls. No gays in the animal kingdom.
These two have already been disrespected, they're in a zoo. Now comes insult on top of injury. It's possible they might well die without each other. What, they're gay so let's jerk them around?
Are we so irresponsible that we can't even have a wilderness, even if it saves our lives? The planet?

Nancy L.

9:11AM PST on Nov 11, 2011

Hopefully they'll find a mate and make more baby penguins. If it doesn't "take", they should put the buddies back together. :)

Rob and Jay B.

8:36AM PST on Nov 11, 2011

Can this sweet little couple of 'love birds' really make that much difference in saving the species by forcing them into what would be unnatural relationships for them? Probably all that will be accomplished will be to cause them stress and suffering at being separated? More would be accomplished by stopping these destructive factory ships and cleaning up our environment.

Many LGBT people for centuries have been forced by societal pressure to 'marry' heterosexually and so much heartache this has caused.

It's a good thing these little gay birds aren't in Iran, Pakistan or Saudi Arabia - they'd probably be beheaded and that really would be bad for the species numbers.

JOHNLEWIS H.

5:44AM PST on Nov 10, 2011

NOTED AND SIGNED THANK YOU