Male penguins Buddy and Pedro became an internet sensation after videos of the affectionate pair sharing a nest went viral online.
But the zoo has stepped in and broken up the bromance because the African penguins are an endangered species that need to mate with females.
Zoo curator Tom Mason said that the pair’s relationship had been social, not sexual, and that they would both probably end up settling with female partners.
Buddy has already moved on and mated with a female, the zoo reports, while Pedro has also been on the pull – but so far without success.
The newly single and ready to mingle Pedro has had his eye on female penguin Thandiwey, apparently, but she is playing hard to get.
Before shacking up with Pedro in a shared nest for almost a year, Buddy, 21, had a partner for a decade and produced chicks.
Pedro, 10, has been a lifelong bachelor and is yet to produce any offspring.
