Gay Penguin Goes Straight!

New York Post ^ | September 16, 2005 | HEIDI SINGER

[texianyankee]

It's splitsville for New York's favorite gay penguins — and one of the lover-birds has taken up with a fetching female.

Now, the Central Park Zoo is dealing with a gay-straight love triangle Jerry Springer couldn't dream up. And nobody knows who will lay claim to the pair's adopted chick.

The drama started when Silo left Roy, his mate of six years, for Scrappy, a female transplant from SeaWorld who'd never had chicks.

"Silo and Roy stopped spending as much time together or building a nest," said John Rowden, the zoo's curator of animals.

At first, Silo started hanging out with different female birds — but then Scrappy caught his eye.

The new hetero pair built a nest, but never produced an egg. Still, they can be spotted hanging out together in the middle of the penguin display — while Roy sits glumly on the sidelines, all alone.

So-called "gay" penguin couples have been widely noticed in zoos.

The penguin lovers actually do have sex, though they can't lay eggs. But Roy and Silo took their relationship to a higher level when they tried incubating a rock, and then successfully raised a chick from an extra egg given to them by a zookeeper.

"Revenge wouldn't be the word I'd use," said Boersma. "But there might be a fight between the new and old mates. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see some flipper-whacking and pecking."

Roy kept his distance from the happy couple yesterday. He stayed on the far end of the penguin display staring at a wall, while Silo and Scrappy flirted, raising their beaks to each other and swiveling their necks to reaffirm their marriage.

[LongElegantLegs]

Yes, but I couldn't bring myself to type it out!

Funny thing is, it makes sense either way...

[BruceysMom]

So... Roys not with Zeigfreid anymore?

[Recovering Hermit]

The new hetero pair built a nest, but never produced an egg.

Proof that Scrappy's just a penguin "beard".

[Rockitz]

Indeed it does. I'm surprised the mods left my post. ;o)

[Ruth A.]

The penguin lovers actually do have sex, though they can't lay eggs. But Roy and Silo took their relationship to a higher level when they tried incubating a rock, and then successfully raised a chick from an extra egg given to them by a zookeeper.

So, human intervention gave them a chick. The two males didn't go out and find an abandoned chick, steal an egg or such. Liberals can't see what is so wrong about these little experiments--in penguins or humans.

[N. Theknow]

Roy kept his distance from the happy couple yesterday. He stayed on the far end of the penguin display staring at a wall,

Guess who has a Chilly Willie?