Here’s more proof love has no boundaries. A same-sex penguin couple welcomed their first chick with open wings — and warm hearts — at the Indianapolis Zoo.
It’s one of two Gentoo penguin chicks hatched before Christmas there, but only publicly announced by the zoo this week.
“Our two male birds became first-time dads when their chick hatched on Dec. 15,” the zoo said in a statement Thursday. “A female that’s actually paired with another penguin laid the egg and left it with the male couple, who have been caring for it ever since.”
It’s a first at the zoo, but not unheard of at other captive facilities or in the wild.
BABY NEWS! We’re excited to welcome 2 adorable penguin chicks. We’re also celebrating the beautiful differences of their families, because 1 of our newcomers was born to a same-sex pair — a first for our Zoo! pic.twitter.com/n6DBfMaHZW
— Indianapolis Zoo (@IndianapolisZoo) January 7, 2021
The new dads are taking to parenthood like pros.
“Gentoo penguins co-parent their young, and just as a female-male pair would do, the two fathers have taken turns tending the nest, incubating the egg and now feeding the chick,” the zoo added.
The facility is celebrating other baby news.
The other penguin chick hatched a week earlier on Dec. 8, to a female-male pair who are also first-time parents. They are also doing a great job as caregivers.
The genders of the chicks isn’t known yet, but they are growing fast.
“The first-born chick weighed 99.7 grams at birth and has grown to 2,000 grams (4 pounds, 6 ounces) at its most recent weigh in,” the zoo said. “The second chick has already grown to 1,405 grams (3 pounds, 1 ounce) from its birth weight of 114 grams.”
It’s a really exciting time for the zoo, which hasn’t had a penguin hatch there since 2012.
“We’re also celebrating the beautiful differences of their families, because one of our newcomers was born to a same-sex pair — a first for the Indianapolis Zoo,” it added.
Love is love, after all.
Photos: Indianapolis Zoo
