Thomas , a New Zealand native , beloved father , and alternative lifestyle icon has pass away at the age of 40 .
This is how the necrology would read if Thomas were a human . But the famous Wellington resident was really a goose . A unreasoning , gay , interspecies - polyamorous zany whose life-time story captured the hearts of locals and the humankind at tumid .
Thomas firstrose to celebritywhen he was a young male in the gaggle at Waimanu Lagoon . There , he was observed shunning other geese in favour of the company of a manful black swan name Henry . The twosome were together for 18 happy age before a female swan , Henrietta , flew into the delineation .
Henry and Henrietta began to nest together , but instead of the traditionalmonogamous brace bondnormally divvy up among both geese and swans , Thomas vex around and they became a consecrate triangular unit .
Thomas was an invested parent to Henry and Henrietta ’s 68 cygnet over the next 12 years , during which time the kinsfolk was a unconstipated and much - cherished pile at Waimanu .
Henry exit aside in 2009 , after which Henrietta found a new cooperator and Thomas eventually tried mating with a female goose . Tragically , the unseasoned gosling were embrace by a different male person , leave Thomas alone once more . When he became unsighted in both eyes in 2013 , Thomas was brought to the nearbyWellington Bird Rehabilitation Trustto pass his stay years .
“ We have lie with having Thomas as a part of the WBRT Family and have treated him with superfluous exceptional love and forethought ! ” the trust share in the announcement of Thomas ’s death , post on Facebook on February 5 . “ He was such a special son and a wonderful character . ”
Messages of mourning chop-chop filled in , especially from fans who appreciated Thomas ’s symbolical livelihood for LGBT+ issues .
Homosexuality has been wide document in the animate being kingdom:1,500 known speciesdisplay this behaviour , and more causa are probable to be discovered . fortunately for them , there is no denotation that homophobia be outside of humans . Gay bozo do n’t involve to defend that their behavior is natural to other swans .
Thomas ’s multi - partner inclinations are also no oddity in nature – substantial grounds of polyamorous behavior ( not to refer polygendered individuals ) has been recently observe , prompting biologists like Antonia Forster to keep challenge our understanding of sexuality .
fit in to the WBRT , the heteronormative - eschewing celebrity will be buried next to his " true love " under the commemorating stone and memorial tablet made for the two in 2009 .
" We had about 100 people turn up for Henry and I would n’t be surprised if the same happened for Thomas , " local birdwatcher Mik Preyertold Stuff . Preyer followed Thomas ’s heroic life from the beginning and was the one who diagnose the three .
“ It was a 30 - class sexual love story that should be celebrated . ”
