Beloved Penguin Dies Beside Cardboard Cutout He Loved

1010 WINS-An elderly penguin living thousands of miles across the sea in Japan has passed -- and the Internet is in mourning.

Grape-kun, a 21-year-old Humboldt penguin who had been residing at Japan's Tobu Zoo has sadly passed away on October 12th beside the cardboard cut out of "Hululu" from the animated series Kemono Friends that he was madly in love with, according to the zoo.

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When workers placed a cartoon cardboard stand up of "Hululu" from the popular series in the penguin's enclosure for a commercial campaign, it was love at first sight. When they tried to remove it, Grape-kun would become sad and lethargic, so they left it in until the very end.

According to reports, the penguin found comfort in the cutout after his partner of 10-years left him. Grape-kun was moved out of his normal habitat on October 10th, along with his beloved Hululu, as workers watched for changes in his condition.

The zoo posted photos of the two together until he passed away next to his last love and zoo-goers are now honoring Grape-kun with numerous memorials.

-Joe Cingrana