'Gay' Penguin Couple Adopts Baby Chick

A same-sex penguin couple in China has adopted a baby chick after displaying exemplary nurturing skills.

When the couple at Polarland became notorious for stealing eggs from other couples during hatching season, the park separated the two penguins. In doing so, many gay right activists protested. Eventually staff members relented and allowed the penguins to reunite, and have now also given the couple a chance to be parents.

On Nov. 28 when an inexperienced female penguin hatched twin eggs, the park staff decided to give one of the eggs to the same-sex partners at Polarland in hopes that their obvious parenting nature will result in the egg developing successfully.

There are conflicting reports that the penguins at Harbin Polarland were “married” in 2009, with a complete wedding service. However, Chinese media reports indicate the two are unwed and have been confused with penguins at a different park.

The penguin couple in northeast China has attracted the attention and praise of Twitter users across the world.

@DianoMarceil wrote: “Gay penguin couple ‘notorious’ for stealing eggs-Given baby chick to care for – HOW CUTE!!”

“OK my heart just exploded,” wrote Twitter user @DeliaQue of the new penguin parents.

There have been many cases of same-sex penguin couples in the past. In another same-sex penguin couple story last month, penguins have been separated at a zoo in Canada with each male encouraged to mate with a female instead. The penguins in Toronto’s park are endangered, and while Canada legalized same-sex marriage in 2005, zoo officials have caught flack from activists for anti-gay actions.

Also, a male penguin couple in New York City’s Central Park Zoo generated attention after they attempted to hatch a rock. The couple was given an abandoned egg to care for, and successfully raised a female chick. However, the male pair separated in 2004, with one member finding a female partner.

Additionally in 2009 a same-sex penguin couple broke up after one of the males partnered with a female at the San Francisco Zoo.