Lydia Spencer-Elliott
A LESBIAN penguin couple at Oceanografic aquarium in Valencia have adopted a chick to raise as their own.
The power couple, Electra and Viola, have incubated and raised an egg from another penguin family at the marine centre.
They are the third Gentoo penguin couple to welcome a baby bird during the aquarium’s breeding season.
“Although same-sex couples are common in more than 450 species in both zoos and nature, it’s the first time this has happened in our aquarium. Welcome to the world, little one,” said the Oceanografic.
Penguin keepers noticed Electra and Viola were pining for a chick to raise when they started constructing nests out of pebbles.
After monitoring this broody behaviour, the aquarium decided to give the pair a fertile egg to raise.
Electra and Viola are not the only same-sex penguins to hit the headlines recently. Same sex penguin couples in Sydney, London and Denmark, have also successfully fostered and incubated eggs.
Liberal birds, penguins are intrinsically progressive. Last year, London Aquarium even announced its first-ever gender neutral penguin.
Though the Sea Life centre usually gives newborn penguins gender-based names, Aquarists realised this was inappropriate as penguins are naturally gender neutral.
