In the humid summer of 2017, at the Tobu Zoo in Saitama, Japan, an elderly Humboldt penguin named Grape-kun lived a quiet, lonely life.
He was approaching 21 years old—ancient for a penguin, the equivalent of a human in his late 80s. For years, he had shared his enclosure with his beloved mate, Midori. They had preened each other, built pebble nests, and waddled side by side. But Midori had passed away. The other penguins had paired off into new couples, leaving Grape-kun to stare at the walls of the enclosure, often standing motionless for hours. Keepers noticed he had stopped eating properly. He seemed to have given up.
That July, the zoo partnered with the anime "Kemono Friends" for a promotional event. Cardboard cutouts of the show’s characters were placed near the exhibits. One was placed in the penguin enclosure; a standee of Hululu, a cheerful young girl with blue hair and a penguin-like hood, representing a Humboldt penguin. At first, no one paid attention. Then the keepers noticed something remarkable.
Grape-kun approached the cutout. He didn't peck at it or ignore it. Instead, he stood beside it, craning his neck upward, staring into her painted eyes. Then he did something the keepers hadn't seen since Midori died. He began to sing the loud, rasping mating call of a Humboldt penguin, directed entirely at the cardboard figure. Day after day, Grape-kun returned. He would waddle up to Hululu, spread his flippers, and perform his courtship display. He brought her the finest pebbles he could find, laying them at her feet as gifts. He stood guard beside her, warding off other curious penguins. He no longer seemed lost. He had a purpose. He had someone to care for.
News spread. Photos of Grape-kun and his "waifu" went viral across the globe. The internet, which rarely agrees on anything, universally adored him. Visitors flocked to Tobu Zoo just to see the elderly penguin who had fallen in love with a 2D girl. The zoo, touched by the response, officially made Hululu Grape-kun’s "wife." For a few short months, Grape-kun was the happiest penguin in Japan. His appetite returned. His posture improved. He had a spring in his waddle. People wept at his story, a tale of grief, loneliness, and finding absurd, beautiful comfort in the strangest of places.
But Grape-kun was old. His health had been fragile for some time. On October 12, 2017, the keepers found him lying still in his enclosure. He had passed away peacefully during the night, surrounded by the pebbles he had gathered and just a few feet from the cutout of Hululu. He was 21 years old, an exceptionally long life for a Humboldt penguin. The zoo’s announcement was gentle and sorrowful, "Grape-kun has passed away. He was a beloved penguin who brought joy to many. He is now in heaven with Hululu."
The internet mourned. Thousands left flowers and notes at the enclosure. The staff printed a small photo of Hululu and placed it beside Grape-kun’s body before cremation. They said he looked peaceful. Finally, after years of loneliness, his heart had been full until the very end.
Today, the cutout of Hululu still stands in the penguin enclosure, facing the spot where Grape-kun used to stand. Visitors leave pebbles and small anime charms.
Link... https://news.sankakucomplex.com/2017/06/28/grape-kun-forever-with-his-waifu/
