Japan zoo mourns death of love-struck penguin

The Humboldt penguin Grape would stare at a cardboard cut-out of a cartoon character Hululu for hours. (AFP/Tobu Zoo/Handout).

TOKYO: An elderly penguin who shot to fame in Japan after falling in love with a cardboard cut-out of a cartoon character has died, at the ripe old age of 21.

Officials at Tobu zoo in Saitama, north of Tokyo, said Grape passed away after a brief illness with the object of his desire right by his side. He would have been around 80 in human years.