An egg being taken care of by a same-sex Emperor penguin couple, Skipper and Ping, has hatched but sadly, there was no chick inside. In a Tweet, Zoo Tierrpark, the Berlin zoo where the penguins live, said, “On September 2nd the egg burst open and was unfortunately not fertilised.”

The couple has been trying for months to have a chick of their own. They have been seen attempting to hatch stones and dead fish in hopes of becoming parents. 

Zoo Tierrpark gave the couple an egg which had been abandoned in July. However, on September 2, the egg hatched and was discovered to be unfertilised. 

Our same-sex #kingpenguin couple has finished brooding his egg. On September 2nd the egg burst open and was unfortunately not fertilized. Surely they will get the chance to become parents again in the future. #ZooBerlin pic.twitter.com/vajn3s8DmZ

— Zoo Berlin (@zooberlin) September 5, 2019

The zoo is not giving up hope that the gay penguin couple will find a chick of their own. In the tweet, they said, “Surely they will get the chance to become parents again in the future.”

The couple is ten years old and has demonstrated a strong parental drive throughout the last few months. Throughout caring for the egg, they took it in turns to keep it warm.

Speaking to Berliner Zeitung, zoo spokesman Maximillian Jaeger said, “The two male penguins are acting like exemplary parents.”

This was the first time the zoo had given a same-sex couple an egg. Though it may not have worked out this time, the penguin couple has shown that they are more than ready to become parents. 

Diversity in the animal kingdom is all-encompassing, with a variety of animals known to engage in homosexual acts. It was reported in 2014 by the Irish Examiner that lesbian penguins set up a nest together in their home of Dingle Oceanworld, Co.Kerry. 

In 2019, penguins took part in the London Pride celebrations, which garnered backlash from the Catholic journalist Caroline Farrow. As the banner in the ZSL Zoo declared, “Some penguins are gay, get over it.”