Gay couple Thomas the goose and Henry the swan ...

Life-sized bronze statues could be cast to immortalize the greater love story ever–
between Thomas the bisexual goose and his partner of nearly 30 years, Henry the bisexual swan. Thomas died in 2017, and the nearly 40-year-old bird was buried beside his partner Henry, who passed away in 2009.

The lovable goose was known to be a loner in his home at the Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust on New Zealand’s North Ireland, before Henry arrived in the sanctuary in the 1980s and stole his heart. The two soon became a couple, staying together for about 18 years before Thomas was left heartbroken when Henry left him for a female swan, Henrietta. However, Thomas pulled it together and quickly joined Henry and Henrietta to make a ‘triple’ to raise the couple’s 68 hatchlings as one.

Thomas was left heartbroken after Henry’s death, while Henrietta quickly moved on and flew away to find another partner. The goose did go on to father babies with a female goose, but these were stolen by another goose, called George, who raised them instead. A celebratory funeral was held for Thomas in February 2018, including bagpipes and poetry.

Now, a trio of life-sized bronze statues could be made by local artist Eileen Thomas to remember the triple’s relationship, provided around $51,500 is raised to fund the project, reports New Zealand news site Stuff. The statues would be displayed on the Kāpiti Coast. The sanctuary’s tour guide Mik Peryer told Stuff: “It was an iconic thing, Waikanae could even use the statue as a brand.”

https://tinyurl.com/yahul8g5

Thomas the goose (left) and Henry the swan could have their relationship honored
with two life-sized statues of the couple. (Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust)