Six male Humboldt penguins at the Bremerhaven Zoo in Germany have taken a serious liking to each other in a decidedly (- um. how can I put this delicately?) amorous way. After these magnummy-Opusy liaisons, the male penguins wandered around in pairs and sat on stones as if they were eggs*.
Now, the zookeeper, one Heike Kuuck, immediately flew in four female Humboldt penguins. Since this species of penguin is near extinction, NATURALLY the conservationists want to encourage male/female penguin relationships so that penguin OFFSPRING might occur, and therefore, so thus Penguin Lust may continue (in whatever form) for many years to come (no pun intended).
You see, common sense dictates that the most likely explanation for the male's sexual interest in each other was due to the fact that there were NO females in the enclosure with them. (Ask 90% of guys who have been incarcerated in prison for years about this dilemma. It's not uncommon. Even aquarium fish that are isolated will attempt to mate with other species in their tank.)
However. Gay groups have reacted with OUTRAGE that the Zoo is attempting to "cure" the penguins of their homosexuality and insist these gay penguins have "right to a free choice of partner". There have even been threatening letters and phone calls to the zoo.
Threatening letters and phone calls.
To a Zoo.
(insert most of the planet doing a mass **HEADDESK** here)
Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but if these male penguins are indeed flaming homosexual, flightless waterfowl, then having female penguins around will not change the male's orientation. Right??
Scenario:
Ralph Penguin is having a tryst with Leonard Penguin. Ralph ditches Leonard as soon as Minerva Penguin shows up. Isn't that Ralph's decision?
Isn't that Ralph's free choice??
Well? ISN'T it??
No one at the zoo is going to put a gun to Ralph's little penguin head and force him down the aisle of conservatism, so unless all four Penguin 'chicks' are militant lesbians who wish to remain childless, I think nature will take its course. with or without threats from those who claim to advocate "free" choice.
More to the point:
Ten bucks says that four out of the six males go "straight"...and the other two start their own antique shop.