Curtis and Arthur, a pair of gay flamingos in Paignton Zoo, Devon, are now parents after adopting an abandoned egg and raising the chick as their own.
The pair are some of the first flamingos to successfully hatch a chick at the zoo since 2018.
To document flamingos’ breeding better, an initiative called ‘Love Lagoon’ was launched at the zoo with updates posted on social media.
Peter Smallbones from Paignton Zoo said: “Regarding the same-sex parenting, we aren’t entirely sure how this come about, although it is a known phenomenon in Chilean flamingos, as well as other bird flocks.
“The most likely scenario is that the egg was abandoned by another couple, so this pair have ‘adopted’ it. We are pleased at the success of this year’s breeding programme so far.”
Chilean flamingos have seen their population decline in recent years due to egg harvesting disturbance by tourism and habitat degradation due to mining.
Paignton Zoo’s breeding programme was launched to aid the conservation of this near threatened species.
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