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| 19 Mar 2026 | |
| Written by Anna Daniels | |
| Alumni in the media |
Sphen, a gentoo penguin who became famous as part of a same-sex “power couple” with his partner Magic, has died at the age of 11 in Australia.
The couple, who were together for six years after they “fell in love” at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, successfully fostered two chicks – Sphengic (also known as Lara) in 2018 and Clancy in 2020.
The pair – dubbed the “penguin power couple” – gained global attention in 2018 after their relationship became a symbol of equality and inspired cultural references, including a Mardi Gras float and a mention in the Netflix series Atypical.
