Gay penguin Sphen dies at Australia aquarium, leaving behind partner Magic — and an iconic legacy

Sphen, one-half of the world’s most famous gay penguin couple, has died, staff at Australia’s Sea Life Sydney Aquarium said Thursday in a news release. He left behind his long-term partner Magic — and an iconic legacy. 

Aquarium staff said the duo’s love story appeared in books, documentaries, an education syllabus and even inspired a Mardi Gras float. The aquarium said it was able to use Sphen and Magic’s story to teach lessons about conservation, plastic pollution and global warming. 

The same-sex gentoo penguin couple shot to global fame in 2018 when news of their pairing made headlines. Dubbed “Sphengic” and “Sydney’s hottest couple,” the two penguins became close during that year’s breeding season and started collecting pebbles to create a nest.

Encouraged by their bond and loyalty, aquarium staff gave the duo a “dummy egg” to nurture and then eventually a real egg from another penguin couple who had two. The pair protected the egg, swapping roles between incubating the nest and guarding its perimeter. The egg hatched, revealing the pair’s first adopted penguin baby, “Sphengic,” named after its dads’ celebrity moniker. Two years later, in 2020, the couple became proud parents for the second time with the birth of Clancy.

Sphen was nearly 12 years old when he died, said the aquarium. Staff said they took Magic, who turns nine in November, to see the body so he could understand “his partner wouldn’t return.” Magic started to sing as he processed the loss, and his song was reciprocated by the penguin colony, the statement said. 

After hearing news of Sphen’s death, well-wisher comments flooded Sea Life’s website. One writer said, “You were just being a penguin, but to us all, your love was so brave and so beautiful.” 

Another wrote, “Thank you Sphen and Magic for showing the world that love naturally comes in many forms. Our hearts ache for Magic.”

contributed to this report.