The doting daddies seem to be adjusting well to their new role (Picture: SWNS)
A pair of gay flamingos are now parents after adopting an abandoned egg and raising the chick as their own.
Curtis and Arthur, a same-sex pair of Chilean flamingos in Paignton Zoo, Devon, have acquired one of the zoo’s newest additions.
The pair are some of the first flamingos to successfully hatch a chick at Paignton Zoo since 2018.
Other named couples that have hatched chicks include Florence and Flame, Frenchie and Del, and Flossie and Lando.
There are also more eggs being diligently looked after by other couples, and it is hope there will be more hatchlings soon.
To help document the flamingo’s breeding better, an initiative called ‘Love Lagoon’ in an homage to the popular reality TV series ‘Love Island’ was started, with regular updates being posted on Facebook.
Their new baby hasn’t quite grown into his feet (Picture: SWNS)
The couple have been doting on their new baby (Picture: SWNS)
Pete Smallbones, Curator of Birds at Paignton Zoo, said: ‘Regarding the same-sex parenting, we aren’t entirely sure how this has come about, although it is a known phenomenon in Chilean flamingos as well as other bird flocks.
‘The most likely scenario is that the egg was abandoned by another couple, so this pair have “adopted” it. We are pleased at the success of this year’s breeding programme so far.’
Chilean flamingos, which come from South America, have seen their population decline in recent years due to egg harvesting disturbance by tourism, and habitat degradation due to mining.
Paignton Zoo’s breeding programme was started to aid the conservation of this Near Threatened species.
Flamingo eggs hatch after a period of approximately 28 days, where they are incubated on mud pile nests by both parents.
While there are currently only four chicks on the island, there are still a number of eggs incubating, meaning new additions could join soon.
The new baby doesn’t have a name yet (Picture: SWNS)
The pair incubated the egg for 28 days before adopting the chick (Picture: SWNS)
Curtis and Arthur aren’t the only gay animals to become parents – in 2018, Sphen and Magic, a pair of Gentoo penguins, welcomed a chick that they took turns looking after.
They welcomed their baby at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium. And in 2009, two male penguins – Z and Vielpunkt – successfully hatched and reared a chick that was rejected by its heterosexual parents at a zoo in Berlin.
Before them came Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins at a zoo in New York who were spotted frequently trying to mate with each other.
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