At California zoo, a jilted penguin sulks when same-sex partner leaves him for a female

BY Rosemary Black
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, April 27th 2010, 1:14 PM

Sullivan/Getty

 

Magellanic penguins may like hanging in groups, but they're also content with just one partner. 

 

A lovelorn penguin at the San Francisco Zoo is still searching for a partner - and showing signs of stress over his still-single status.

The Magellanic penguin, dubbed Pepper, got dumped during the last breeding season by his long-term, same-sex partner, according to San Francisco’s KGO-TV/DT.  The straying partner, Harry, found a female penguin by the name of Linda, and the pair now are incubating an egg together.

Pepper’s not letting his former sweetheart off lightly. There’s tension among the three aquatic birds, according to the zookeepers, who also are concerned that Pepper’s been isolating when he should be out making friends.

He’s got reason to be sulking. Pepper and Harry had been a couple since their teen years, and had even cared for an abandoned egg together.

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