TF Archives

Gay German Penguins Tempted By Swedish Birds

Author: Jonty Skrufff
Monday, February 14, 2005
Zookeepers at Bremerhaven Zoo in Bremen have drafted in four Swedish female penguins to boost their failing breeding programme after realising that six out of ten of their South American penguins are involved in long term exclusive homosexual relationships.

The gay penguins were outed after staff noticed they were failing to make babies despite mating together for years, prompting them to carry out DNA gender tests on the sexually suspect couples.

Their findings matched those of animal psychologists at New York's Central Park Zoo who told the New York Times last year that two male penguins Roy and Silo had been happily dating for years, in full knowledge of the rest of zoo's penguin colony.

"When offered female companionship, they have adamantly refused it," the Times revealed. "And the females aren't interested in them, either."

The paper also noted that dolphins and monkeys are frequently gay, with homosexual behaviour noted in over 450 species.

"You have this idea that the animal kingdom is strict, old-fashioned Roman
Catholic, that they have sex just to procreate," Marlene Zuk, a biology professor and author of "Sexual Selections: What We Can and Can't Learn About Sex From Animals" told the paper.

"Sexual expression means more than making babies," she added. "Why are we
surprised- People are animals."
Tags