Is anyone else feeling discouraged by the multitude of celebrity splits that have occurred this year? From Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas to Hugh Jackman and Debora-Lee Furness, I’m starting to feel like we’re all destined to die alone. Is love even real? Is my own relationship doomed? Am I spiralling? Maybe.
Thankfully, the TikTok algorithm worked its magic while I was seconds away from a panic attack, showing me a little clip of penguins at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium gifting each other pebbles as a sign of their sweet, sweet love.
I’m SCREAMING.
After a bit of cheeky Googling, it turns out that the little guys in the video are Gentoo penguins. These dudes are renowned for their monogamous ways and the dating process is pretty damn adorable.
When a male Gentoo sees a female he thinks is cute, he gifts her a shiny pebble as a sign of his devotion. But they won’t just settle for any pebble to gift to their boo. The fellas will have full-blown punch-ons, or whatever a punch-on would be if you had flippers instead of fists, to secure the prettiest stone to give to their beloved.
Ladies, take this as yet another sign that if he wanted to, he would.
According to an aquarist at the aquarium, some of the penguins literally choose between fight or flight – which is kind of hilarious for flightless birds.
“During breeding season Gentoo penguins collect pebbles for their nests. They hunt for only the most perfect, smoothest, roundest pebbles – only the best will do!” they told me.
“Generally, they have a preferred area where they will build their nests. However, sometimes they will steal another penguin’s nest. Weaker penguins often can’t be bothered to defend their area and just build a nest somewhere else instead for an easier life.”
In the mating season, which runs until the end of October, the females use these pebbles to form a circle for their nests. And if the girlie pop decides that she wants to stick with her male suitor, they point their little beaks at the circular nest.
ADORABLE.
Also, just as an aside, Gentoos take an “it takes a village” approach to raising chicks. Instead of leaving the labour to the parents, they form a creche and take turns checking in on them until the fluffy babies are ready to fend for themselves.
As it turns out, Gentoos generally do this little ritual for three seasons before moving on to another partner with no bad blood.
I might be firmly in my delulu era, but I find the nature of the Gentoo penguins comforting. While different people may come and go, it doesn’t mean the love you shared isn’t special and worthwhile. Isn’t that beautiful?
Shout out to the gentoo penguins at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium for pulling me out of my spiral. You can see them do their little pebble parade until the end of October.