Two male penguins have reached a milestone in their relationship, celebrating their birthdays in appropriate style.
A same-sex penguin couple are celebrating their third anniversary and remain “inseparable,” said SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium keeper.
Sphen and Magic’s story went viral in 2018 when the man-man pair adopted and successfully incubated an egg at the Darling Harbor facility.
The hatched chick was named Lara by the aquarium penguin keepers.
Gentoo penguins adopted a second egg in 2020, which hatched in November of the same year, bringing Clancy into the world.
To celebrate their anniversary, the couple will taste a frozen fish cake to share with their friends from the colony.
SEA LIFE penguin keeper Kiera Ponting said this was the aquarium’s fourth breeding season for the penguins and that she was “thrilled” to see Spehn and Magic still together.
She called them one of the most devoted couples in the colony.
“Magic always regularly collects the most perfect pebble he can find for Sphen, showing how a great hunter and partner he can be,” Ms. Ponting said.
“They set a great example for the rest of the colony. They are inseparable and prove how strong bonds with penguins can be.
“We have noticed that many new pairs of penguins are setting up their nests near Sphen and Magic, which we believe is trying to learn from the best.”
This year, the couple are keeping an artificial egg to continue to set an example for other pairs of penguins.
