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Sydney’s famous gay penguin couple has adopted a second chick

Penguin carers say the second-time dads are absolute naturals

Alannah Le Cross
Written by
Alannah Le Cross
Arts and Culture Editor, Time Out Sydney
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In adorable news that could just make your heart burst, Sea Life Sydney Aquarium is welcoming a brand new brood of freshly hatched Gentoo Penguin chicks. Amongst the proud new parents, the aquarium’s gay penguin power couple, Sphen and Magic, have become dads all over again, adopting and hatching their second egg.

The fabulous pair made headlines internationally in 2018 when they became the aquarium’s first Gentoo penguins to successfully incubate an egg to raise a chick. After the penguin carers observed that the pair of lovers were absolute naturals at caring for a dummy egg, they were given a real egg to foster from another couple, which had produced two. The baby girl, Lara, is a testament to Sphen and Magic’s incredible parenting skills. According to penguin carers, she is a bright penguin who took part in this year’s breeding season by learning to build a nest and incubate eggs herself.  

The new crop of chicks at the aquarium have been privately hatched over the past month, with the youngest’s birth certificate currently reading ‘two weeks young’. The babies are still cuddled up to their parents at the moment, and the dedicated aquarium staff say they are healthy and growing rapidly. Starting at 95 grams, the youngest is currently sitting at 399 grams while the oldest is two kilos. 

This joyous baby news follows another successful breeding program from the aquarium, where they are working to repopulate Sydney’s endangered seahorse population.

You can visit the aquarium to say hi to the penguins and other aquatic creatures like Plugga the rescue turtle. Check opening times and book your visit here.   

Did you know that you can see Ancient Egyptian mummies at Sydney’s new museum, for free?

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