Lyle Shelton hits out at ‘fake gay penguins’ at Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney

Conservative activist Lyle Shelton has blasted the Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney for creating “fake gay penguins”.

Penguin couple Sphen and Magic have been together for five years. Picture: Facebook / Sea Life Sydney Aquarium

Conservative political leader Lyle Shelton has accused the Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney of creating “fake gay penguins” Sphen and Magic to indoctrinate children.

Blasting the aquatic attraction for “interfering with the animal kingdom”, Mr Shelton has unleashed on a plan for the resident gay penguin couple to be used to give lessons about same-sex relationships to NSW school students.

Under the plan, the Sphen and Magic, who have now raised chicks together, will be part of the NSW syllabus.

Penguin couple Sphen and Magic have been together for five years. Picture: Facebook / Sea Life Sydney Aquarium

Lyle Shelton has slammed the “fake gay penguins”. Picture Glenn Hampson

Penguins “manipulated”

But the proposal has not impressed the Family First Party leader who accused the aquarium of tricking the penguins into thinking they are gay.

“Fake “gay” penguins Sphen and Magic are being used to indoctrinate children,’’ he said.

“As expected, no mention was made of how these two male penguins had been manipulated from the very start.

“You see, penguins, particularly gentoos, as these two are, are astounding creatures who in 90 per cent of cases, will bond for life with their breeding mate.

“So, when these two were given eggs to incubate together, this would have encouraged them to stay together for future breeding cycles and effectively stopped them from seeking out female partners.”

In other words, Mr Shelton insists that Sphen and Magic simply should have been given more opportunity to meet the right lady.

Sphen and Magic are fathers of two chicks. Picture: Sea Life Sydney Aquarium

A short history of gay penguins

According to researchers, penguins have been observed to engage in homosexual behaviour since at least as early as 1911.

British Antarctic explorer, naval surgeon George Murray Levick’s own report of what he regarded as “depraved” conduct by male penguins was initially considered too shocking for public release.

Twenty years ago, The New York Times reported that Roy and Silo, a male pair of chinstrap penguins in the Central Park Zoo in New York City, had hatched a female chick.

In Denmark, a pair of male king penguins adopted an egg that had been abandoned by a female penguin.

In Japan, researchers at Rikkyo University in Tokyo found 20 homosexual pairs at multiple aquariums and zoos across Japan.

Gay penguin couple Sphen and Magic will teach children about same sex relationships. Picture: Facebook / Sea Life Sydney Aquarium

The Bremerhaven Zoo in Germany tried and failed to get gay males to breed.

The zoo’s director said that the relationships were “too strong” between the homosexual pairs.

“We don’t know whether the three male pairs are really homosexual or whether they have just bonded because of a shortage of females ... nobody here wants to forcibly separate homosexual couples,’’ a zoo spokesman said.

But when Buddy and Pedro, a pair of male African penguins, were separated by the Toronto Zoo to mate with female penguins one of the penguins did find a female partner.

has since paired off with a female

Thelma and Louise, two female penguins, were in a relationship for eight years.

Zoos and aquariums around the world have announced same-sex penguin couplings.

At London’s Sea Life aquarium, two lesbian penguin couples have already got together.

Marmalade and Chickpea and Marama and Rocky courted by bringing each other pebbles.

Sea Life manager Catherine Pritchard told the BBC: “Gentoo penguins are the ultimate romantics, and their dating techniques are truly unique – so much so that as humans, we could certainly learn a thing or two from their passion and commitment to finding a mate.

“As well as our male-female penguin couples, this breeding season we also have two female same-sex couples who are also going through their nesting rituals.”

But the international penguin gay love stories have left Lyle Shelton troubled.

“As sad as this is for these two, the real horror is how their concocted story of being a ‘loved up’ gay penguin couple is now being used to promote same sex relationships to little children,’’ he said.

“According to a Facebook post by the federation, this story has been developed into a number of exercises based on the five year strong same sex relationship of the penguin couple,’’ he said.

“So essentially what should be a story about the damage caused by human interference in the animal kingdom is instead being served up to our youngest, most impressionable children as education on thriving gay relationships and diverse parenting arrangements.

“As an adult it is easy to simply read a story like this, shake our heads and then dismiss it as utter rubbish but what choice do children have when it is taught to them as part of the syllabus in infants’ school?

“Scrubbing such nonsense education from school curriculums will be a priority for future Family First elected members.”

Originally published as Lyle Shelton hits out at ‘fake gay penguins’ at Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney