By Abbie Stokes

On January 1, a baby penguin chick was hatched under the supervision of two male penguins at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York. 

Foster parents are often used when hatching extra penguin eggs, but normally the couples are one male penguin and one female penguin. However, last year two male Humboldt penguins, Elmer and Lima, were tested to see if they would be able to hatch an egg. With some trial and error, keepers finally decided that they would be able to foster an egg. And on January 1, they welcomed a healthy chick, becoming the first same-sex male penguin couple to successfully foster an egg at the zoo.

Zoo director Ted Fox stated that, “It continues to be brooded and cared for by both Elmer and Lima, who are doing a great job,” he added. “And once they have experience doing this and continue to do it well, they will be considered to foster future eggs.”