Penguin Rock Giving: A Scandalous Tradition with Fights, Lust, and Theft! (7 photos)

Giving stones to penguins is perhaps the most romantic ritual found among animals. Just imagine: a man in love spends hours searching for the most beautiful, roundest, and most perfect stone, and then gives it to his beloved. And this stone becomes the first brick in their shared home, where they will have children. Beautiful, isn't it? What a shame that this beauty is spoiled by those who seek to cheat the system.





The perfect place for the perfect stone!

Smooth, handy pebbles are quite rare even on the rocky Antarctic islands, and getting even one can be a challenge. So if two males spot "that one," a bloody fight is inevitable. And it's not a given that the winner will be able to carry the pebble to the female, as he could be robbed along the way. Because the beautiful lady doesn't really care where you got it or how much effort it took.



When your pebble is taken from you, you run for the next one, filled with rage.





The tradition of giving stones is present in several penguin species, for example, Gentoo penguins and Adelie penguins.

Especially since one stone probably won't be enough for you. Want to increase your chances of starting a family? Bring several at once. Or better yet, distribute them to different females, diversify your interests. You're sure to catch the eye of at least one in ten. All that's left is to get those ten stones. By any means necessary, including simply stealing from females you're not interested in.



And some guys try to rob someone else's nest right in front of their owners!

Women are also good. They always accept signs of affection without a problem, even if they're offered by a puny male they don't even want to look at. Moreover, even choosing a partner doesn't stop some women from playing the innocent coquette in front of still-available men in exchange for pebbles. But these swindlers immediately lose interest in the poor guys as soon as they get what they want. After all, a promise doesn't mean a marriage.



— Here's a pebble. How about a kiss? — Well, I'll think about it))))

But the most depraved women sink even lower—to the point of promiscuous love. They receive stones from males who are unlucky enough to find a mate by the end of the mating season, or from particularly cheeky "family" men while their wives go fishing. But to be fair, it's worth acknowledging that most penguins remain faithful to their partners within the mating season. They even maintain their ties for many years.



*cute cooing in penguin*

What conclusion can we draw from this story? That all men are sycophants and thieves, and women are swindlers and flirts. Or that human moral standards shouldn't be used to judge animal behavior. Each species survives in its own conditions and makes its own sacrifices. After all, they cheat, fight, and wage war not for status or ephemeral wealth, but because this is the only way to leave offspring in their harsh world.



Just look at how many stones are needed for a nest!