Two gay vultures in a long-term relationship celebrate hatching their adopted child
Two gay male vultures in a long-term relationship have successfully hatched an egg together.
The birds, who live at a zoo in Amsterdam called the Natura Artis Magistra, adopted the egg after it was abandoned by its former parents.
After finding the egg at the on the floor of the vulture enclosure, zookeepers chose to place the unborn bird in the care of the two griffon vultures.
The vultures, who have been together for years, took turns sitting on the egg until it hatched, according to Associated Press.
Now they’re further fulfilling their parental duties, feeding the hatchling by regurgitating their food into its mouth.
The zoo has said it is not unusual for its animals – especially the birds – to form same-sex couples, but that this is the first time it has played host to such a pair hatching an egg.
It is of course not abnormal for many animals – hundreds, in fact – to engage in homosexual activities or partnerships.
Dogs, for instance, certainly have gay sex.
Earlier this year, a polar bear called Szenja died just weeks after her same-sex partner of 20 years was transferred to a different zoo.
The bear, who was left alone at SeaWorld San Diego after her companion Snowflake was moved to Pittsburgh Zoo, died of a broken heart, animals rights charity Peta claimed.
The bears had lived together for almost all 21 years of Szenja’s life.
In April, a zoo in New Zealand revealed that its lesbian penguin couple was raising a chick together.
The 24-year-old penguins, named Thelma and Louise, fostered the chick after its birth mother was left by her partner, leaving her struggling to raise the chick.
And in March, two gay penguins at a Chinese zoo were exposed for stealing eggs from straight couples.
The authorities at Polar Land in Harbin said the gay penguins had a strong instinctive urge to become parents.
Watch a video of the vultures below:
