Australian gay penguin
Sphen, one half of world-famous gay 'penguin power couple,' dies at age 11
LONDON -- Sphen, an Australian gentoo penguin who shot to fame in 2018 when news of his same-sex male partnership with Magic made global headlines, has died at the age of 11.
Staff at the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium made the announcement on Thursday, saying that they are “heartbroken” to share the news of his passing.
Dubbed the “penguin power couple,” Sphen and Magic became partners in 2018 and spent six years together, successfully adopting and raising two chicks – Lara, who is now 6-years-old, and Clancy, who is 4.
“Sphen and Magic are more than just a beautiful treasure story –their impact around the world as a symbol of equality is immeasurable,” Sea Life Sydney Aquarium said in their statement announcing Sphen’s death on Thursday. “They inspired a Mardi Gras float, have been included in the NSW education syllabus, and even featured in the Netflix series Atypical. Countless books speak of their love story, even documentaries on same-sex animal couples have featured Sphen and Magic.”
Through Sphen and Magic’s fame, the aquarium says they have been able to share “important messages on conservation,
Gay penguin Sphen dies in Australian aquarium
An Australian penguin famous for raising chicks as part of an unlikely same-sex couple has died, the Sydney Sealife Aquarium announced on Thursday.
"Staff at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium are heartbroken to distribute the news that Sphen, one-half of the world's most famous and loved gentoo penguin couples, has sadly passed away," the aquarium said in a statement.
Sea Life Aquarium said Sphen, who was the older boyfriend in the "same-sex" penguin pair, died just timid of turning 12, considered a long life in captivity.
"Sphen and Magic mutual a bond unlike most other penguin couples — they could even be found together outside of the breeding season, which is unique for gentoo penguins," the aquarium said.
Gay icons
Male gentoo penguins Sphen and Magic built a nest of pebbles together in 2018, catching the attention of zookeepers and then the world.
They eventually hatched chicks, Sphengic in 2018 and Clancy two years later, after being given live eggs from other penguin couples to incubate.
Sphen and Magic were adopted as lgbtq+ icons in Australia and abroad, inspiring a float in the Sydney Mardi Gras parad
Sphen, Australian Penguin of Renowned Same-Sex Couple, Dies at Age 11
Sphen and his longtime partner Magic got together at Sea Existence Sydney Aquarium in 2018. They successfully hatched two foster chicks and became “international queer icons”
Sphen, a gentoo penguin who became globally famous for his long-standing same-sex relationship with another male, died earlier this month in Sydney, Australia, at the age of 11.
Sphen and his 9-year-old partner Magic became “international queer icons” after they paired up and started building a nest together at Sea Existence Sydney Aquarium in 2018, writes the New York Times’ Isabella Kwai. The couple successfully hatched two chicks together after keepers gave them foster eggs to incubate.
Their relationship was featured in the Netflix series “Atypical,” and big, inflatable replicas of the two dads appeared on a float in Sydney’s 2021 Gay and Sapphic Mardi Gras parade. (The real birds couldn’t link because temperatures were too high.) Their story has been included in Australian schoolbooks to teach children about sexuality, consent and relationships.
“Sphen and Magic’s devotion story captivated the world,” Richard Dilly, the aquarium
Australian penguin dies, termination famous ‘same-sex authority couple’
SYDNEY – A celebrated Australian penguin famous for raising chicks as part of an unlikely same-sex couple has died, a Sydney aquarium said on Aug 22.
Male gentoo penguins Sphen and Magic caught the attention of zookeepers, and then the world, when they built a nest of pebbles together in 2018.
They were eventually given live eggs to incubate from other penguin couples, hatching chick Sphengic in 2018 and Clancy two years later.
Sealife Aquarium said Sphen – the older partner in the “same-sex” penguin “power couple” – had died just shy of turning 12, considered a long life in captivity.
Sphen and Magic were adopted as gay icons in Australia and further abroad, inspiring a float at Sydney’s Gay and Sapphic Mardi Gras procession and featuring in the Netflix sitcom Atypical.
But they also had their critics, with some in conservative circles saying the penguins were unwittingly being used to push a political agenda.
Unlike many mammal species, male and female penguins take on the same parenting roles and divide parental duties equally.
Same-sex couples between both males and females are not unheard of, although the
Sphen the penguin, recognizable for same-sex passion story, dies at Sydney aquarium aged 11
A penguin who inspired a Mardi Gras float after making international headlines for his homosexual relationship has died aged 11.
Sphen shot to fame in 2018 after partnering up with fellow gentoo penguin Magic at Sea Animation Sydney Aquarium.
The couple, who spent six years together, successfully fostered two chicks Sphengic (Lara) in 2018 and Clancy in 2020 in what was described as an Australian first.
Normally, penguins would only raise one chick in the wild, aquarium staff said at the time.
Their love story inspired a Mardi Gras float in 2021, and also featured in books, documentaries and Netflix show Atypical.
"The decline of Sphen is heartbreaking to the penguin colony, the team, and everyone who has been inspired or positively impacted by Sphen and Magic's story," the aquarium's general manager Richard Dilly said.
"We want to take this opportunity to reflect and celebrate Spehn's being, remembering what an icon he was, the unique bond he shared with Magic and the positive impact he made in the world."
The aquarium said Sphen was nearly 12 years o