“You will never get to see anything like this again,” explained Renee Howell, a penguin keeper at the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium. The statement followed a heartbreaking scene that took place in the aftermath of Sphen’s death, a penguin who had become a symbol of equality for maintaining a same-sex relationship with his partner, Magic.

Aquarium staff couldn’t hold back their tears as the gentoo penguin colony was brought to see him for the last time. Mourning the loss of their friend, the animals engaged in a deeply emotional display never before witnessed by the employees.

“It’s one in a million,” Howell said. Magic began to sing, and the other penguins soon joined him in chorus.

“The air was filled with their singing.”

Staff at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium were left in tears after the entire gentoo penguin colony sang in mourning at the passing of Sphen, who left behind his same-sex partner, Magic

Image credits: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

Sphen, alongside Magic, became internationally recognized for their unique bond, and he passed away just shy of his 12th birthday. “He died of natural causes,” the aquarium confirmed this Thursday (August 22).

Howell, who has observed the penguins from the very beginning, reflected on the profound influence their love story has had as a symbol for equality worldwide.

“Their connection was truly unique,” she said. “It’s something you almost never see.”

Image credits: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

Sphen and Magic’s relationship started in a manner familiar to many species, ours included, with a simple courtship ritual. While most penguins bow or sing to each other during this time, the gentoos are known for collecting and offering pebbles to their partners.

“You see [penguins] searching along the beach, along the ice, looking for those perfect pebbles to give to their partners,” Howell said. “They will use those pebbles to build their nest and that is where they will lay the eggs.”

Being both male, Sphen and Magic were obviously unable to lay any eggs, but that didn’t stop them from forming a family.

Sphen and Magic were unique not only in the strength of their bond, having been together for more than six years, but also because they took care of a couple of baby penguins

Image credits: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

In 2018, the six-year-old couple captured global attention when their same-sex relationship was publicized, but what really captured the public’s hearts was their successful adoption of two chicks: Sphengic in 2018 and Clancy in 2020.

For the staff at Sea Life, what was particularly notable about the couple was the way in which they took care of the baby penguins by equally sharing parenting responsibilities.

Image credits: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

“They took their individual [turns] on the nest, and they would go out and search for food, and then they’d come back and swap the care of the egg,” she said. “They definitely divided up the roles really quite evenly between the two,” Howell added.

Penguins are special in that their pair bonding is strong. And while they are not precisely monogamous, they usually mate with the same partner as the previous year, according to the British Antarctic Survey.

Gentoo penguins are classified as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which makes the efforts Sphen and Magic made in taking care of their two chicks even more important.

A funeral ceremony was held by the staff at Sea Life, who believed it was crucial for the emotional well-being of Magic and the rest of the colony

Image credits: SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

In the wild, when a penguin loses its partner and doesn’t know what happened, a long search typically ensues. For this reason, Howell and her team believed it was essential to provide closure for Magic.

By showing Sphen’s body to his partner, Magic understood that he would not be coming back, allowing him and the rest of the colony to process their grief properly.

“Soon after, he became quite protective of his partner and that was a very emotional time for us, but we needed to do that in order for him to hopefully comprehend what had happened.”

 

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“The sadness was immeasurable,” Howell recounts of the ensuing moment, in which the entire colony started singing in unison.

“It showed the impact [Sphen] had on his partner and that [Magic] actually recognised that his partner was there.”

For the staff, who had never witnessed anything like it in their careers, the chorus signified a beautiful send-off.

“To us, they weren’t just penguins. They all have their individual quirks and personalities, so it is definitely sad losing one of those members,” Howell continued.

“They inspired so many people across the entire world and to us, that is incredibly special and we’ll hold that with us forever.”

Netizens lamented the passing of the penguin, with some reflecting on the lessons their story left as it came to an end

Image credits: Ryutaro Tsukata

“They have more humanity for each other than us humans do. You can call them gay, straight or whatever you want. They love each other. Something us humans have forgotten a long time ago,” one reader reflected.

“I’m sadder than I should be about this,” another wrote.

“Poor Magic. Rip Sphen, enjoy all the prawns in penguin heaven,” said one user.

“That poor thing. He must be so heartbroken,” shared another.

Magic continues processing his grief to this day, collecting pebbles for a nest that will never see his partner again.

However, Aquarium staff remain hopeful, as in their understanding of penguin behavior, this is not a sign that Magic is stuck but actually moving on.

The community’s reaction to Sphen’s passing has also been a source of comfort for the caretakers, and they are happy that the penguin’s love story moved and inspired thousands across the globe while it lasted.

“Devastated.” Readers sympathized with the keepers’ feelings at the bittersweet moment they witnessed

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