Anguished penguin

A pair of penguins in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province became withdrawn and anxious after the egg they were hatching was smashed in a fight with other jealous penguins, according to sources with the Polar Museum of Harbin.

The female penguin laid an egg on Nov. 3. This led to jealousy among other penguins in the zoo, who lingered around the mother waiting for their opportunity to strike.

Jealousy finally turned to violence at about 7 p.m. Tuesday, when the female penguin was absent. A fat penguin jumped onto the hatching area, jostled away the penguin father and tried to take away the egg. The angry father immediately blocked the way of the looter. Unfortunately the egg dropped in the fight and was broken.

The saddened couple refused to eat after the tragedy and shunned their fellows. They appeared irritable and restless.