Two male griffon vultures have successfully hatched a neglected egg together, Artis zoo in Amsterdam has announced.

The two vultures have been a couple since 2018 but this is the first time they have hatched an egg. They are also looking after their adopted offspring.

“We are so pleased this couple is raising the chick. They are doing great, alternating with each other to keep it warm and feed it after they have gorged on a carcass. They are very good at it,” Artis animal carer Nanja said.

The chick with two fathers was hatched about a month ago. The vulture couple that produced the egg paid too little attention to it and Artis workers decided to put it into the care of the male couple.

Homosexuality is a common occurrence among birds and gay vulture couples have successfully raised chicks at Artis, Amersvoort and Beekse Bergen zoos in previous years.

In 2020, a gay penguin couple at Amersfoort’s Dierenpark zoo, who first hit the international headlines the previous year when they stole an egg to hatch, went a step further by stealing the complete nest of another couple – who happen to be a lesbian duo.