According to the report about the study published by BBC News Online, some female penguins sneak around on their partners. These prostitutes have sex with unattached males and take a pebble from the male’s nest after having sex. (Pebbles are used for building nests, but are scarce, and hence valuable.)

Do penguins cheat on their partners?

Even penguins that appear to stay together may not be as faithful as they seem. Nearly a third of female Humboldt penguins cheat on their partners, often with members of the same sex. And then there are the Adélie penguins, one of the only animals on the planet to have turned to prostitution.

Are penguins faithful?

Penguins are incredibly loyal birds, and they travel up to 10,000 miles a year in their search for food and love. Recent research found one couple have remained faithful to each other for 16 years – almost their entire breeding life – despite each of them taking solo trips totalling 200,000 miles.