Sphen and Magic, beloved gay gentoo penguin couple at the Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney, have hatched a second chick!
With the success of parenting their first chick Lara, Sphen and Magic are "now the aquarium’s go-to adoptive dads for eggs neglected by straight penguins," according to PinkNews.
They received their first chick in 2018 when zookeepers noticed the couple trying to hatch a rock. Now, Sphen and Magic have received their second egg! "The baby chicks are just as big as their parents now," said penguin supervisor Kerrie Dixon. "And they need names."
The zoo has launched a competition to name the newly-hatched penguin!
"We thought the best way to celebrate Penguin Awareness Day (on 20 January) and raise awareness for the role our adorable colony plays in driving awareness for their wild counterparts and the threats to their survival, is to give Sphen and Magic fans around the world the chance to name their second chick," she continued.
"Our colony of seven gentoo penguin chicks are all grown up, there’s just one problem," Sydney Sea Life Aquarium added. "The birth certificate of Sphen and Magic’s baby is missing a name and we need your help! We are putting out a call out for the public to help name the chick of the world’s most famous gay penguin couple and win the chance to meet the waddling family on the ice in our sub-antarctic zone!”
You can submit your chosen name at the link found on Sydney Sea Life's social media accounts. The competition is "open to anyone and everyone around the world" because "borders do not apply when it comes to Sphen and Magic." Winners outside of New South Wales will be "dialed in for a special private Zoom call with the famous family."
