Gay penguins and lorikeet ‘throuple’: Safari park’s surprising love stories

A keeper at a safari park, where a gay penguin couple and a “throuple” of lorikeets reside, revealed that same-sex relationships in the animal kingdom are more common than you’d expect. Vicky McFarlane, who looks after the animals at West Midlands Safari Park, chatted with the BBC about the park’s gay residents after news broke about the passing of a world-famous gay penguin in Australia. She shared that these unique relationships aren’t as rare as people might think, shedding light on the fascinating love stories unfolding in the wild. (Also read: North Korea to reopen borders for western tourists after nearly five years of pandemic shutdown )
McFarlane shared that at the West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley, there’s a pair of male Humboldt penguins named Arnie and Frodo who’ve been a couple since 2020. The park also has a “throuple” of rainbow lorikeets—two males and a female.
McFarlane further explained that the female lorikeet lays the eggs, and the two males take care of them. “They seem to figure things out in their own little way. They know what works for them,” she said. When asked about same-sex animals, she noted, “It’s more common than you might think. I believe they do form emotional bonds, especially penguins and lorikeets. They’re monogamous and mate for life.”
“So there’s a bit of a courtship—they’ll flirt, see who catches their eye, and once they settle down, they’re inseparable. I’d definitely say they’re in love,” McFarlane shared. She added that the animals are left to find their mates on their own. “They find their love all by themselves. We just sit back, keep an eye on them, and make sure everyone’s getting along.”
On the flip side, while penguins and lorikeets at the safari park are monogamous, sea lions are a different story. “One male can have 35 girlfriends a year. They keep themselves pretty busy—sounds exhausting,” McFarlane remarked to the BBC.