This May Surprise You
To read, but in fact I am not upset about this article – both in the animal rights and natural systems, nor do I think the entire thing is factual as being presented. With that said, saddle up for a strange twist and turn of an article/blog post. The first sentence will make sense, too, once you read on.
Gay Penguin Separation Means Survival of the Species: Zoo Keepers
The article by Tristin Hopper of National Post, stationed in Canada, reads the headline: “Gay Penguin Separation Means Survival of the Species: Zoo Keepers.” To the title, I cannot tell if she is trying to be witty with the “Species: Zoo Keepers,” or not, but we will press onward. Gay Penguin Separation is a bit sensationalized, but in terms of this odd story and the current goings-on in the world with Human Rights and “the Gay Agenda,” the title is no more sensationalized than is it a representation of the current focus and weight on society: homosexuality.1 On the last part of the title, Means Survival…I do not know my immediate thoughts here. I often find it humorous when journalists try to appear “scientific,” as if they have a science background and know more than the common definition for words in the vernacular. Means Survival – Hopper is correct, that is the moral of the issue here and now.
To say moral of the issue is not to denounce any type of orientation. I will use this comparison to express what I mean: in times of war, rules change. During war, Marshall Law can even come about. On a boat, the captain is god, and in a plane, the pilot is king. What this is saying is that during times of unordinary and temporal situations, the rules change. Many people are against abortion, but you know what? When the mother is dying, regardless (though usually) if the child will live or is extensively premature, abortion is an acceptable, if not respectable, decision on the mother’s behalf in these dire circumstances. To the relevance of this blog, these penguins are dying as a whole, and because the breeding intricacies within the species and of captive ‘guins do not allow for other methods, there must be coital, specifically male/female.
In the article, Hopper speaks about the dwindling populations of penguins, specifically how 90,000 are remaining. She is right, they are on the cusp of extinction. Hey you guys, do you remember the Western African Black Rhino? Well, good, because others may not. I feel that in these dire circumstances, the discussion of whether or not it is natural or if they should remain together should not be an issue. They need to breed. NOW, I say that lightly, and I use the word breed referencing what my gay friends use to call straight people. (Gays are called “homos,” straights are called “breeders.” I find it clever, the rebuttal.) As stated in the article, there is an intense breeding program set up with many a zoo to help raise numbers of these African penguins. The zoo keepers have no issue with the pair bonding, or even pairing back up after the separation – they just need them to mate without distraction – penguins, like most birds, are monogamists (but this tails into my idea later to come).
If there was a debatable part of this story, it would be – surprise, surprise – the homosexuality of the penguins. I believe the word carries too strong of a connotation these days (not that it was different in other days). To be homosexual would mean to have relations with the same sex; to be Homosexual, you would have to have sex with the same gender. See the difference? No, okay. A friend of mine who is gay, though he jokes here, speaks of man on man sex, “You don’t need to be gay to have sex with a man. That’s why we call them, MSM – Man who has Sex with a Man.” Not exploring the sexual binary or the fluidity of sex here, but simply having sex with a member of the same sex does not in fact make you Homosexual, but you are homosexual, that is, one practicing a homosexual activity. Let us argue here that these penguins are “practicing” right now, and not in fact Homosexual. Why is this relevant? If the penguins are in fact Homosexual, than we have a much larger problem than the ethics of splitting up members of a lesser animal species. If the penguins are homosexual, then there should not be an issue splitting them up because they will ultimately breed, which I will refer to now as sustain. I describe these two contexts to show the complexities when dealing with this topic as well as to show you the unnecessary exaggerations with anything dealing with this topic.
As we have covered “how” homosexual the penguins could be, let us move further. Does anyone remember Roy and Silo? These two penguins started quite the stir in 2005 when their story of same-sex parenthood hit the shelves. The pair began courting each other and tried to hatch a rock. When another pair of penguins had two eggs, the zookeepers, knowing the pair could not care for both, gave one of the eggs to Roy and Silo. The most important part about this story to know is that the pair, Roy and Silo, were never in-fact observed having coital, only observed courting each other. Later, one was seen to mate with another female.
Strangely enough, this behavior follows somewhat in-toe with male lions. These young bachelors have been observed hanging out together across the Savannah. Strange, huh? That these patriarchs, the Kings of the Jungle, would allow for a fellow male – to whom would be a possible threat both in and outside the presence of a female – to be with him at all times, and even share in a meal. How would one start a pack this way with future competitors always feet away? Maybe nature gives homage to one of the oldest sayings: Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.
To the non-scientific readers of Hopper’s article, there is a definite overlook on the article, which I believe completely changes the perception of the prose. The penguins are not pairing up to mate inertly, but rather to increase reproductive success. As is the case with the male lions, the bachelors pair up to increase survival, both species being social beings, and uses the other penguin, their comrade, to attract females. It is somewhat overt, but through cooperation, chances of survival and reproductivity increase greatly as compared to going it alone. With the lions they use their numbers to appeal to female prides, increasing their total survival and reproductive fitness tenfold. In the case of the penguins, birds are notoriously known for their sexual selection behavior, that is, male to male competition over female choosiness and sexual dimorphism, or the “flashiness” of one’s outward appearance. The male penguins may have greater chances of reproduction when paired with another because it can draw a contrast between the two, making the female see one as a much better choice over the other. The male penguins may have greater chances of reproduction when paired with another because they may choose themselves from the females, as they accrue potential mates (which has been observed at the Toronto Zoo). It could all simply be that the two male penguins, a known social species, pair up to increase survival until they choose to mate, because two is better than one. Ultimately, the pairing of two male penguins increase reproductivity, but we just do not know why they do it, especially when females are interested and willing.
In the realm of animal behavior, covering both human and non-human animals – though human animals are more accessible since there exists an effective measure of communication, what appears simple may actually be more complex. What must be taken into consideration is all the environmental factors, a history of the species including anthropogenic influences, and evolutionary mechanisms, not just their actions. True, actions speak louder than words, but a shark may not be biting an object to eat it, rather bite it because they are animals without predators and are wildly curious, exploring and investigating the only way they can: with their mouth (a bite). Besides, the weirdest case of homosexuality is not even with penguins, but actually with arthropods. Male flour beetles will be observed mating with other males. And the cause? It is hypothesized that they do it – yes – to increase reproductive fitness. If their sperm has become “too old,” the beetles will relieve themselves of it the only way they can, through the next warmest body: a male. Since reproduction has many factors in it, it is not often a male can mate with a female effervescently, so he must ensure that when he does, his little boys can get the job done.
I know, I know - animal on animal sex is so interesting! What with the different selective pressures and the way the males will morph into beautiful and scary animals, I do not know how anyone can study anything else in college. Take heed, my readers, there are so many more important issues out there than whether or not the penguins are gay and if they should be separated. The African Black Rhinos are virtually extinct in the wild, the African Penguins are headed there, a good portion of Africa is in shambles, human trafficking is still an issue, people are still dying from starvation, and Justin Bieber raps now. Read as much as you can, learn your facts, and do something about it. Do not become sidetracked by issues as ridiculous and farcical like homosexuality, move on to an issue that actually matters. I will let you in on a little secret, if you are against homosexuality, then save your fire and brimstone for another sin, because this one is not going anywhere, and maybe spend your time and energy on reading more relevant texts. If you are for homosexuality, good! It appears you have an open mind; now leave these ethics of gay-penguin separation you do not understand, and go make an impact where it is needed, like sponsoring a child in Haiti.
1 I will take this one sentence to give voice here: in a day and age where technology is advancing so fast we now have mobile computers as telephones and children learning from tablets, how we still have people dying in developing countries from lack of sanitation and of diseases and this not being the pressing issue, but that is the issue: people’s concern and care for “others’ well-being” in terms of damnation and orientation, but not a nameless dying in a town or city you cannot even pronounce.
Post Script: The couple has split, as predicted. I’ll leave it at that, but not after bringing up two points. Number one, this Mr. Mason fellow discusses how the relationship was always social and not sexual, which is all fine and dandy after the damage of the sensationalism and anthropomorphisizing had been done; he should have outright made a mention of it, to where his quote would carry in the news as well. Number two, the caption of the photo is ridiculous. Snubbing, after thought, is acceptable for animal behavior description as it seems pretty apt and covers intentions surmised, but in this context the situation is made to play out a scene from a soap opera, once again feeding to the anthropomorophisizing issue.
