Same-sex penguin pair find female partners

[December 13, 2011]  TORONTO (AP) -- It appears a female has come between one of Canada's celebrity couples.

Toronto's zoo split up a pair of male penguins whose affection for each other drew headlines last month and jokes about "Brokeback Iceberg."

The zoo said Monday Buddy and Pedro have been officially separated and Buddy has mated with a female. Pedro has yet to get lucky, but officials say it's not for a lack of trying.

The birds' separation was one zoo officials said was necessary because penguins are an endangered species and the two needed to mate with females.

Curator Tom Mason describes their bond as social -- not sexual -- and says when the birds rejoin the general population, they are likely to stay with their female matches go their separate ways.

[Associated Press]

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