Scientists have been left rather intrigued after a group of penguins in an aquarium were found to be mate with other mate , rather than staying monogamous .
Most penguin are retrieve to bemonogamous , remain with one partner for their integral life and mating each time of year . Others like Emperor Penguins are serially monogamous , stay with one better half just for one mating time of year .
However , staff at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Utah became suspicious of the behavior of two Gentoo penguin pair – Roto and Copper , and Coco and Gossamer .
They had simulate the animals were arouse their own chicks . But to check , they partnered with researchers from Utah Valley University for the first - ever subject area to examine the paternity of Gentoo penguin , now published in the journalZooBiology .
They test the deoxyribonucleic acid of 19 penguin housed at the aquarium and institute that two of Coco ’s children were actually get by Roto in a classic Jerry Springer penguin font of closed book , lies , and questionable paternity .
" The stave that find out over the penguin noticed that some of the penguins were displaying behaviour that intimate they might not be 100 percent faithful to their first mate , " written report jumper lead Eric Domyan toldDeseret News .
" What we found is that of the eight offspring tested , two of them had a biological don that was not their social beginner . "
According to theNew York Times , the discovery did not come as too much of a surprise . Domyam noted that it was “ rare to regain monogamousness in any species where there ’s 100 percent faithfulness to one ’s mate . ” Still , the finding could be a act troublesome .
These Gentoo penguin will be part of a program to pair the most genetically diverse of them together to see to it a salubrious population . But for this to work the research worker need to debar any form of inbreeding . And if the penguins are n’t as faithful as thought process , that could make things complicated .
“ The results of this research highlight the importance of genetic trial to validate pedigrees used in SSPs [ Species Survival Plans ] , to leave more exact data for the keep of mintage conservation , ” the researcher pen in their newspaper publisher . Basically , aquarium staff ca n’t entrust those innocent - looking critters through watching alone .
So , it expect like penguins might not always be the close partners we think they were , but that does n’t intend they ’re anyless adorable . Just , you roll in the hay , they ’re alittle bit sneakytoo .
