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en Amanda Maclaren I'm sadder than I should be about this

Sphen, one half of Australia's gay penguin power couple, has passed away NBC NEWS

One half of the world-famous gay penguin 'power couple' dies in Australia INDIA TODAY

kuro miko & gojo @brokuroos Follow ! Giggled at famous gay penguin then smile dropped so fast NOOOOO Pop Base fort for fot @PopBase Sphen, a famous gay penguin from Sydney, has died at the age of 11. His partner Magic was taken to see Sphen so he could process his death, he reportedly started "singing" once he saw his partner's body. The two penguins raised two chicks together. 3:58 PM - Aug 22, 2024 X

H--- Against Queer Theory @Homonotqueer. Follow In loving memory of Sphen the gay penguin. Beloved husband, dad and friend. Forever in our hearts. X

irm of the people @wolstenholme Follow leslie knope is crying in her office rn i know it Pop Base @PopBase Sphen, a famous gay penguin from Sydney, has died at the age of 11. His partner Magic was taken to see Sphen so he could process his death, he reportedly started "singing" once he saw his partner's body. The two penguins raised two chicks together. 11:48 AM Aug 22, 2024 X

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Overview

Gay Penguin Death, also known as Sphen Penguin Death, refers to the death of Sphen, one-half of the world-famous gay gentoo penguin couple from the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in Australia. The gay penguin's death became a viral topic on the internet in mid-August 2024, sparking memes, tributes, media coverage and fans mourning the passing of the animal.

Background

On August 21st, 2024, the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium official Instagram^[1] account shared a video (seen below) about the death of the penguin Vale Sphen, captioning "one-half of the world’s most famous and loved gentoo penguin couples, has sadly passed away." The post also mentions that Sphen and Magic same-sex relationship inspired "millions around the world with their story of love, equality, and devotion." The video received over 37,000 views in a day.

Online Reactions

Sphen's death quickly became a viral topic on the internet as it was widely covered in numerous publications around the world, sparking memes and reactions from people mourning the animal.

For example, on August 22nd, 2024, TikTok^[2] user @les__beans posted a video of her girlfriend reacting to the news (seen below), which amassed more than 4,800 plays and 200 likes in a few hours.

@les__beans

♬ original sound – Liz & Iz

Also on August 22nd, 2024, TikTok^[3] user @raydudeedits uploaded a video showing the penguins Sphen and Magic with the overlay text, "Stop I'm literally crying like wdym he died his bf started singing after he died and everyone joined in wdym." The post (seen below) amassed 1,400 likes in a few hours.

@raydudeedits ♬ forwards beckon rebound – Adrianne Lenker

Various Examples

@sydneymorningherald Magic and Sphen made international headlines as their relationship bloomed, inspiring their own Mardi Gras float #sphenandmagic #penguins #sydney ♬ Pieces (Solo Piano Version) – Danilo Stankovic

@tiktok2024a11 Sphen, the elder partner in a world famous same-sex penguin couple celebrated in Australian schoolbooks and an annual gay rights parade, has died at 11 years old, a Sydney aquarium said on Thursday. #sphen #penguin #australia #sidney #gay #samesex #dead #australian #couple #schoolbook #famous #animal #world #fy #viraltok ♬ son original – Tiktok Time

Search Interest

External References

^[1] Instagram – sealifesydneyaquarium

^[2] TikTok – les__beans

^[3] TikTok – raydudeedits

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Gay Penguin Death / Sphen Penguin Death