Sphen, a gentoo penguin whose same-sex love story captivated the world, has sadly passed away aged 11.
The Australian gentoo penguin shot to fame in 2018 when news of his male partnership with Magic made global headlines. Sphen, who was the older of the two penguins, was nearing his 12th birthday when he sadly died.
“The loss 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,” Sea Life Sydney Aquarium’s general manager Richard Dilly said, per The Independent.
