From the Guardian:
When Toronto zoo bought African penguins Pedro and Buddy from Pittsburgh's National Aviary, they expected them to mate with two females. Instead, despite being trailed by lovelorn lady penguins, they only had eyes for each other, engaging in what naturalists call "courtship behaviour". So Tom Mason, the zoo's curator of birds and invertebrates, ended the relationship on the grounds that it was jeopardising the future of the species. Despite the impression given by programmes such as Frozen Planet, which show carpets of penguins as far as the eye can see, the African penguin is on the verge of extinction. Only 60,000 are left in the wild (down from 225,000 two decades ago), and the zoo doesn't feel it can allow a season to go by without Pedro and Buddy's genes being passed on.Aren't the penguins beautiful? The appearance and coloration of the two birds are quite different.
If you click the link to the Guardian, you will see the headline: "Is it homophobic to split up gay penguins?" Was the separation of Pedro and Buddy due to homophobia? The African penguins face extinction, and the zookeepers want the penguins to breed. Should the zoo have allowed Pedro and Buddy to stay together?
What do you think?
UPDATE: According to the website Penguins-World, "They [African Penguins] form lifelong mating rituals with one partner."
And thanks to Lapin for the link to the story.
I am not an expert on penguins, but I know some animals mourn when a mate dies or disappears. What good will it do for these two to perhaps mourn and lose interest in life and die? I think this is just cruel.
ReplyDeleteBex, I thought about that, too. Cathy's cockatiel, Groucho, mourned for his mate, Birdbrain, when she died. He called her name.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the website Penguins-world, "They [African Penguins] form lifelong mating rituals with one partner."
Perhaps the males won't mate with a female if they're grieving or if the birds just prefer other male birds.
I admit, when I heard this story, I anthropomorphized the birds: "Boys, just Stick It In 'Em . . . then you can get back together."
ReplyDeleteBut in lieu of the "mate for life" sitch, it does put a different spin on it.
I don't know. <- words that are genetically difficult for JCF to say. ;-/
JCF, I realize a little how difficult it was for you to type those words. ;-/
ReplyDeleteOn the same topic, a NSFW video.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link, Paul (A.). The video made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteGroucho is mourning his Birdiebrain, but he will move on and mate with another girlie bird, when I get around to getting another.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem cruel, but I don't think the zoo was being homophobic. They wanted Pedro and Buddy to reproduce for the sake of the African penguin species (well, at least, that's what they said). I guess they thought it was worth a try to see if they mate with lady penguins. If neither shows any inclination to at all I would expect the zoo after a time to move them back with each other (well, I would, anyway).
PS Groucho may not move on all that quickly. I don't know. I don't want to rush getting another mate for him but I don't think he likes being alone either. It's a tough one.
ReplyDeleteCathy, most monogamous birds will move on to another mate if theirs dies. If the pair is separated, I don't suppose the birds know the difference from a death, but I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteSince Groucho has had company for so long a time, he probably does not like being alone, especially when you're away at work. When to get another bird is a difficult decision.
{{{Cathy}}}
ReplyDelete{{{Groucho}}}
Still no Schmutzy. It just struck me this evening, that the last time I saw her was late on the evening of Halloween---which, knowing how certain roving rat b@stard punks can be about animals in general and cats in particular, gave me something new to worry about. :-(
The last pic I took of my sweet Schmutz. Yes, she's really That Kewt (belly, fully scritchable).
I miss her.
Schmutzy's so pretty, JCF. I hope someone took her in and that you hear the good news.
ReplyDeleteHave you not heard, Mimi, there are no gays in Africa so these cannot be African penguins. These penguins have been corrupted by the West.
ReplyDeleteVW: exata
Rudo
Rudo, right! What was I thinking to give any credibility at all to the article? My only defense is that the pretty birds in the picture distracted me.
ReplyDelete