Gay Penguins to be Separated by Zoo

Where’s Leslie Knope when you need her? A pair of (possibly) gay penguins, Buddy and Pedro, at a Toronto zoo will soon be separated so that they can find proper mates.

Zookeepers say that Buddy and Pedro, two male African penguins, are inseparable. The two gay penguins are also starting to display signs of mating rituals. But according to the Star, the two love birds will soon be separated because Buddy and Pedro have “top notch genes” and will soon be partnered with females for breeding.

Joe Torzsok, chair of the Toronto zoo board, said:

“It’s a complicated issue, but they seem to be in a loving relationship of some sort.”

According to the Daily Mail, African penguins are endangered so the Toronto Zoo has to follow through with its species survival plan.

Here’s a video about Buddy and Pedro.

Buddy, 20, and Pedro, 10, are part of the popular African penguin exhibit which opened in May. They were both bred in captivity in Ohio. Zookeepers refer to their unique relationship as “pair bonding.”

A study conducted by the University of Berkeley found that birds can form long lasting gay relationships. According to the study, penguins in an all-male group will typically find a partner. If females are later introduced, five out of eight pairs will ignore the female and stick with their male partner.

Lead author Dr Julie Elie said:

“Relationships in animals can be more complicated than just a male and a female who meet and reproduce. My observations led me to this surprising result: same-sex individuals would also interact like male-female pairs.”

Do you think Buddy and Pedro are gay? Do you think the penguins will mate when they are partnered with female penguins?