Toronto’s famous gay penguin couple has faced a split, with one half opting for a female companion.
The zoo keepers have confirmed the separation, revealing that Buddy, aged 21, has started a new relationship with a female penguin, while Pedro, who is ten years old, has not yet found a new mate.
The penguin pair shared their lives together for about a year, and videos featuring them viral online, although specialists indicated it resembled a ‘bromance’ more than a traditional romantic pairing.
As penguins are classified as an endangered species, the friends were unfortunately separated in order to pursue mating opportunities with female birds.
Just three days post-split, Buddy seemed to have already moved on, as he successfully paired with a female penguin.
Previously, Buddy had a female partner for more than ten years, during which they raised chicks together; in contrast, Pedro has yet to become a father.
Despite Pedro’s persistent attempts to win over female penguin Thandiwey over the past several weeks, she has so far rejected his advances.
Experts suggest it is probable that the once ‘gay’ penguins will ultimately pair up with females.
Earlier this year, when the lovebirds captured media attention, comedian Jimmy Kimmel humorously referred to them as the ‘Brokeback Iceberg’ penguins and joked about their presence at a Lady Gaga concert.
