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Source: ONE News -
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Dunedin's world renowned royal albatross colony is making headlines around the world thanks to a two-mum "household".
Two female birds are incubating an egg at the world's only mainland breeding colony at Taiaroa Head sparking major interest from, among others, gay and lesbian news sites.
She looks like every other mother in the colony sitting minding the nest, but this one is an unlikely star.
"It's quite unusual in the albatross population here at Taiaroa Head to have two females mating together, even more unusual than that is the eggs actually fertile this season," says Department of Conservation (DOC) ranger Lyndon Perriman.
A surrogate dad has been involved but it is the female, and her partner that have sent international media into a spin.
Tourism Dunedin saw the opportunity, and working on the adage that sex sells, have promoted the happy couple.
"The gay media have absolutely loved this story and I think most of them, if not all of them in Australia have picked it up," says Heather Mollins from Tourism Dunedin.
But it's not just gay media that have picked up on this tale. It featured in the Times in London at the weekend and has also appeared in other media including Canberra Times, the ABC and even on musician Lady Gaga's official site as one of her fans has suggested the new chick be called Lady Gagabratross.
"Several people have mentioned the novelty factor and hey we're enjoying making the most of it," says Sam Inder the Royal Albatross Centre Manager.
But those in the know say in truth it's not really that rare.
"This is actually the third time we've had a female, female pairing out at Taiaroa Head in 70 year history," says Perriman.
This year's babies are just hatching at Taiaroa Heads and the chick with two mums is due in about a week.
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