More than half the penguins at an Irish aquarium are in same-sex relationships, it has emerged.
Eight out of 14 residents at the Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium in Kerry are with a partner of the same sex.
Many of the Gentoo penguins are now raising chicks together, zoo keepers have said.
Ocean Worlds animal manager Louise Overy said they had two male gay pairings and two female.
She added: You cannot tell a male penguin from a female by their sexual organs, so the only way we know is when we see them mating and not producing chicks.
The lesbian ones will take action if they feel broody.
They will waddle over to a male to do what needs to be done and rear the chick with their female partner.
They have maternal instincts the same as humans do.
Gay penguins have been heard of before but to have such a number in a small zoo is rare.
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Five years ago, they had just one pair – Penelope and Misty.
Since the introduction of gay marriage in Ireland, the number of gay penguins has bizarrely quadrupled.
Ms Overy told the Irish Mirror: In New York City zoo, a gay penguin couple reared a chick and that made international headlines because they were seen as the only gay penguin couple in the world – and yet we have four couples here in our place.
She said they woo each other with stones to build nests.
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