Penguin gay couple steals eggs from lesbian couple

Last year, the males also made an attempt to have babies when they stole a single egg from another pair. “This year they even managed to hijack an entire nest at an unguarded moment”, says zookeeper Sander Drost. “It turns out to be a very determined couple.”

They handle their new acquisition with care. “Both birds brood on the eggs. They guard the nest alternately.” Unfortunately for the males, they will not reap the benefits. “Because they stole the nest from the lesbian couple, we already know that the eggs are not fertilized,” says Sander.

Penguins are monogamous and therefore choose one steady partner. Homosexuality is more common in this bird species. Among the seventeen penguins in the park in Amersfoort, there is one gay couple and one lesbian couple.

Last year, the males also failed to hatch the stolen egg, which came from a straight couple at the time. But zookeeper Sander doesn’t rule out the possibility that they will ever succeed. “Who knows next year.”