Same-sex penguin couple trying to hatch egg after stealing it from breeding pair

Penguin are looking after egg 'very well', zookeeper says

Penguins at DierenPark Amersfoort zoo in the Netherlands (YouTube/DierenPark Amersfoort)

A same-sex penguin couple is attempting to incubate an egg after stealing it from another breeding pair.

The male African penguins, who are housed in DierenPark Amersfoort zoo in the Netherlands, took the egg when the other penguins weren’t looking, Dutch News reports.

According to zookeeper Marc Belt, the couple is looking after the egg “very well” and taking it in turns to keep it warm.

“Homosexuality is fairly common in penguins, but what makes this couple remarkable is that they have gotten hold of an egg,” Mr Belt said.

The zoo stated that the couple whose egg was taken have already produced another one.

African penguins have an extended breeding season, the South African National Biodiversity Institute explains.

In Namibia, the breeding season of the species of penguin peaks from November to December, while in South Africa it peaks from March to May.

While it is currently hatching season for the penguins, it has not been confirmed whether the egg taken by the same-sex penguin pair has been fertilised.

Earlier this year, a same-sex penguin couple at Sea Life London welcomed their first adopted chick.

The female gentoo penguin couple have been together for five years and were chosen to adopt an egg by the aquarium’s team after demonstrating they would make good parents.

The aquarium said the egg was taken from its birth mother in order to relieve her from the pressure of raising two chicks.