Melbourne Aquarium’s Gay Penguin Couple Jones & Klaus Are In Love And Have Paired Up Again
Image: Gay Gentoo penguin couple Klaus And Jones at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. Image: Supplied
It’s the annual Gentoo penguin mating season at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium and their star gay couple Klaus and Jones are back together building a nest.
“Nesting time for the Gentoo penguins at Sea LifeMelbourne Aquarium is always an exciting time for both the penguins and keepers alike! During this period we see some really interesting behaviour from the penguins as they work hard to build the most impressive nest in the colony in order to attract a mate,” Bird Manager Sarina Walsh said in a statement.
Gay male Gentoo penguin couple Jones and Klaus had created a stir at the colony last year when they paired up to build a nest. This season, they proved their detractors wrong when the couple got together again sending a clear message – We’re Here and We’re Queer!
Gay Couple Practising To Be Dads
“Klaus and Jones have been together for about three or four years,” said Emily Thornton, penguin keeper at the aquarium.
“Initially, they started building their nest in the wrong area as such, but this year, for the first time they’ve actually put it in the nesting platform area, which is really exciting. They are a couple that we’re hoping one day might actually be foster parents.”
“Although same-sex male pairs are unable to fertilise and lay an egg between themselves, Klaus and Jones can be given a ‘dummy egg’ to protect during the nesting period and practice being dads,” added Thornton.
The staff at the Melbourne aquarium were excited when Tuna and Nigel-Blossom, another penguin couple, got together this year. Tuna had been left heartbroken when his partner Bruisey left him for another penguin. The staff thought this would be the second same-sex couple at the aquarium, but were pleasantly surprised when Nigel-Blossom laid an egg – “proving that Nigel is in fact a female”.
Lots Of Drama In Penguin Colony
“Like relationships in the human world, relationships in the animal world aren’t without the drama and this season we have seen everything from long term relationships rekindling, heartbreaks, new partnerships and unique but beautiful penguin pairings,” said Walsh.
Gay penguin couples are found in many aquariums around the world. In Sydney, the star gay penguin couple, Sphen and Magic, have been in a relationship since 2018. Both in 2018 and 2019, the gay Gentoo penguin couple was given eggs and they are proud parents of their foster kids Sphengic and Clancy.
One of the most well known gay penguin couples was Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins at the Central Park Zoo, who got together in 1998. They hatched a female penguin named Tango.
