Gay Penguin Couple on the Road to Fatherhood After Adopting Abandoned Egg

These king penguins seem to have parenthood all figured out.

Skipper and Ping, two penguins living at the Berlin Zoo, are now on their way to fatherhood after adopting an egg abandoned by its mother.

Zookeeper Norbert Zahmel told Reuters their dad instincts kicked in and they “immediately knew what to do.”

"They are in a same sex relationship. And they have shown normal breeding behavior," Zahmel said.

Because they are biologically unable to have a baby on their own, they have been practicing their nurturing skills by trying to "hatch" stones, and even fish, to “satisfy that breeding urge,” according to the zookeeper.

But once another female at their facility abandoned her egg, they presented it to the male couple who instinctively knew to incubate the egg and become its surrogate parents.

If Skipper and Ping successfully fertilize the egg, they will hopefully be proud parents by September.

RELATED STORIES