Penguin Love Life Exposed: They Can Date, Marry And Divorce Like Humans

A decade-long study revealed that while penguins typically "mate for life," similar to humans, they also seek "chemistry" with other partners. Researchers found that divorce was fairly common among the 37,000 little penguins observed on Philip Island over 13 breeding seasons. These splits usually occurred after a poor mating season but ultimately resulted in greater dissatisfaction for the unfaithful partners in the long run.

The study found that divorce rates in these penguins are a strong indicator of the colony's breeding success. However, following a disappointing breeding season, penguins are more likely to find new mates in hopes of improving their reproductive results.

"In good times, they largely stick with their partners, although there's often a bit of hanky-panky happening on the side," said Richard Reina, co-author of the study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

"However, after a poor reproductive season they may try to find a new partner for the next season to increase their breeding success," added Mr Reina who is the head of the ecophysiology and conservation research group at Monash University in Australia.

Out of approximately a thousand pairs studied, 250 experienced "divorces" over ten years, while others were left "widowed." In the seasons following these splits, the overall breeding success was lower, suggesting that the strategy of seeking new partners for a larger group of chicks didn't quite work as expected.

While divorcing enabled penguins to find a higher-quality mate, it came with drawbacks. The study pointed out that a significant amount of time spent on "mate-searching and courtship" often led to delays in reproduction or, in some cases, prevented it altogether.

"Furthermore, this may force parents to forage for their chicks during times of poorer food availability because of the delay in beginning reproduction caused by having to spend time finding a new mate."

New pairs may struggle with the intricate tasks of nest-building, egg incubation, and chick-rearing compared to established couples. The study also noted that penguins who maintained their bond over several seasons saw greater reproductive success as time went on.

This research on the little penguins of Phillip Island offers valuable insight into the social behaviors of the species. It also aids organizations in more effectively planning conservation efforts to safeguard penguins.