Penguin pair to celebrate 10-year anniversary

Love is in the air for two male penguins who are about to celebrate their 10th anniversary together.

Diego and Zorro first locked eyes at Bournemouth Oceanarium's penguin beach in July 2015.

The attraction specialises in rehoming the birds and partners with conservation programmes to help endangered species.

The pair are Humboldt penguins which is a declining and vulnerable species native to South America.

In a colony, they are less likely to "mate for life" and are generally only monogamous during breeding season, the oceanarium said.

But that was not the case for Diego and Zorro, as penguin keeper Amber Cookson noticed a spark between them soon after they met.

She said they were showing "courting behaviour which grew into this wonderful, long-standing partnership".

"The penguins are free to choose who they want to spend quality time with and in their case, they chose each other," she said.

The couple live in a custom-built enclosure that was designed to replicate the birds' natural habitat.

It has a deep pool, beach, rockery and nesting boxes where the colony can play, fish, and dive.

More "couple time" is on the cards for Diego and Zorro as their last foster chicks have left the nest.

Ms Cookson said they are not showing any signs of "empty nest" syndrome just yet.

"Diego and Zorro are such fantastic foster parents, and over the years they've dedicated huge amounts of care and attention to rearing their babies," she said.

"It's particularly fitting that it's now, during Pride Month, when they've got more time to invest in their own relationship and celebrate their bond."

The oceanarium hopes the couple will help them rear more of Humboldt penguin species.

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