Roy and Silo
Encyclopedia
Chinstrap Penguin
The Chinstrap Penguin is a species of penguin which is found in the South Sandwich Islands, Antarctica, the South Orkneys, South Shetland, South Georgia, Bouvet Island and Balleny...
s who were a male-male pair in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Central Park Zoo
Central Park Zoo
The Central Park Zoo is a small zoo located in Central Park in New York City. It is part of an integrated system of four zoos and the New York Aquarium managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society , and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums .The zoo began in the 1860s as a...
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Roy and Silo met at the zoo and they began their relationship in 2004. The pair were observed trying to hatch a rock as if it were an egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
. They also attempted to steal eggs from other penguin couples. When the zoo staff realized that Roy and Silo were both male, it occurred to them to give them the second egg of a mixed-gender penguin couple, a couple which previously had been unable to successfully hatch two eggs at a time. Roy and Silo hatched and raised the healthy young chick, a female named "Tango" by keepers. Their story is the basis for the children's book
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
, And Tango Makes Three
And Tango Makes Three
And Tango Makes Three is a 2005 children's book written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole. The book is based on the true story of Roy and Silo, two male Chinstrap Penguins in New York's Central Park Zoo...
, by Justin Richardson
Justin Richardson
Justin Richardson is an American author best known for co-authoring And Tango Makes Three with Peter Parnell. And Tango Makes Three is a children's picture book based on the true story of two male penguins in the Central Park Zoo who pair-bonded, built a nest, and together hatched an egg...
and Peter Parnell
Peter Parnell
Peter Parnell is an American playwright. His plays include The Cider House Rules, Flaubert's Latest, Hyde in Hollywood, An Imaginary Life, QED, Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket, Romance Language, Scooter Thomas Makes It to the Top of the World, and Sorrows of Stephen.Parnell is also noted for...
and illustrated by Henry Cole
Henry Cole (illustrator)
Henry Cole is an author and illustrator of children's books. Cole’s love for nature, fascination with science, and sense of humor permeate his vivid, colorful illustrations. He has illustrated several books for author Pamela Duncan Edwards....
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When she reached breeding age, Tango paired with another female penguin called Tanuzi. As of 2005, the two had paired for two mating seasons.
In 2005, Roy and Silo separated, with Roy remaining single. Silo found another partner, a female called Scrappy. As of 2010, Roy and Silo still interact on exhibit but do not display paired behavior.
See also
- Homosexual behavior in penguins
- List of animals displaying homosexual behavior
- Children's book And Tango Makes ThreeAnd Tango Makes ThreeAnd Tango Makes Three is a 2005 children's book written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole. The book is based on the true story of Roy and Silo, two male Chinstrap Penguins in New York's Central Park Zoo...