eisely Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 This is copied from a story in a UK paper. This is entertaining at several levels. It also raises some interesting questions. Occasionally one hears arguments for gay rights for humans based on observed behavior in other animals taken to be "gay" behavior. One wonders if this sort of behavior really reflects homosexual preferences among penguins, or perhaps simply an imbalance in the male/female population in the enclosure. That is, would these penguins resort to preferences for females if there were more females around? ________________________ Gay penguins expelled from zoo colony for stealing eggs are given their own to look after following animal rights protest By Caroline Graham Last updated at 4:13 PM on 15th December 2008 A pair of gay penguins thrown out of their zoo colony for repeatedly stealing eggs have been given some of their own to look after following a protest by animal rights groups. Last month the birds were segregated after they were caught placing stones at the feet of parents before waddling away with their eggs. But angry visitors to Polar Land in Harbin, northern China, complained it wasn't fair to stop the couple from becoming surrogate fathers and urged zoo bosses to give them a chance. Who's the daddy? The segregated penguin couple, right, are seen here in their own enclosure quarrelling with another male over stolen eggs In response, zookeepers gave the pair two eggs laid by an inexperienced first-time mother. 'We decided to give them two eggs from another couple whose hatching ability had been poor and they've turned out to be the best parents in the whole zoo,' said one of the keepers. 'It's very encouraging and if this works out well we will try to arrange for them to become real parents themselves with artificial insemination.' Wildlife experts at the park explain that despite being gay the three-year-old male birds are still driven by an urge to be fathers. 'One of the responsibilities of being a male adult is looking after the eggs. Despite the fact that they can't have eggs naturally, it does not take away their biological drive to be a parent,' said one. One campaigner who did not want to be named welcomed the move and said: 'It wasn't fair to stop them becoming parents and keep them apart from all the other birds just because of the way nature has made them.' Last month zookeepers said the couple were removed from the group not because of discrimination, but so as not to disturb the colony during hatching time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal_Crawford Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 This is not the only gay penguin sighting in recent years. Parents ina number of jurisdictions have demanded that the children's book, "And Tango Makes Three" be removed from school libraries because it depicts two "gay" penguins. The story is apparently based on two actual penguins named Roy and Silo that lived in the Central Park Zoo and adopted a baby penguin named Tango. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15764474/ To my knowledge there are no gay penguins currently registered in scouting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGreyEagle Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Just another reason I shy away from wearing a tuxedo, wouldnt want to be confused with a gay penquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevorum Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Not that there's anything wrong with that ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA_Scouter Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Hal, That would be 'avowed gay penguins'. Its chilling if you ask me.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evmori Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Gay penguins? If I was a penguin then I would worry but since I'm not, who cares? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGreyEagle Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Ed, Ed , Ed, Ed, Ed, you wild and crazy guy, why should you care? One of the primary arguments against Homosexuality tends to sound something like, "its unnatural" or "it doesnt occur in nature" and if there are Gay Penguins, then Homosexuality isn't unnatural, Homosexuality does occur in nature and Homosexuality is not a personal choice but a born, natural orientation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evmori Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 OGE, I know I'm not a penguin & I'm pretty sure you aren't. So whatever penguins do they do. It makes no nevermind to me! And those arguments are bupkus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narraticong Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I always wondered about "The Joker" and even "Robin", but "The Penguin"? Say it isn't so, Batman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evmori Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I'd bet if you called any of the Penguins in Pittsburgh gay you'd get your butt kicked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGreyEagle Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Quick show of hands, who was prettier Jaromir Jagr as a Penquin or David Cassidy as Keith Patridge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evmori Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Garrett Morris from SNL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John-in-KC Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I protest! We're not talking about llamas. Llamas have rights too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal_Crawford Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Gay llamas? I know it gets lonely in the Andes but... A penguin and a llama walk into a bar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eamonn Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 A GOOSE AND A DUCK(DEDICATED to Papa Duck, Dated June 05) Jade Elizabeth Trainor received a poetry.com award for this poem A goose and a duck walked through a farm, Holding each others wings like arms, The farmer froze and watched them cross the yard, His wife stock still and staring hard. A dog started to bark loudly at the two,It startled them so into the air they flew, Past the farm and into the town, It never occurred to them to look down. Past the town and into the city, The air smelled stale and slightly gritty, They landed in a large flock of birds, But neither could understand a single word. Into the sunrise they set off the next day, They didnt have time for the slightest delay, Side by side the flew through the air, The city folk all stopped at once to stare. Upon their return home to the farm, The cold night air still and calm, They flew into the barn to sleep, Wings around each other not a peep I was thinking that if the Penguins had been Geese they might be called A Gaggle of gay geese? Back in the UK there is a candy bar (Chocolate covered cookie) called a Penguin Bar. As part of their advertisements they had a catchy little tune. The words were "P-P-P Pick up a penguin" The only place I can buy them on this side of the pond is in a small English Tea Shop in Intercourse PA. Think I'll stay with Ducks and Geese! Ea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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