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In November we received the much-needed adorable news that Sphen and Magic, Sydney’s famous same-sex penguin couple, had successfully adopted a new chick. The little waddler is the couple’s second baby, and one of a brood of seven new Gentoo Penguin chicks hatched at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium. There’s just one thing – this young one needs a name, and the Darling Harbour aquarium is putting it out to the public to help come up with one.
“The baby chicks are just as big as their parents now and they need names,” said Kerrie Dixon, penguin supervisor. “We thought the best way to celebrate Penguin Awareness Day (on January 20) 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.”
Network of marine protected areas ‘could help safeguard Antarctic penguins’ (Heather Lynch/Stony Brook University/PA)
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Breeding Antarctic penguins could be helped by a proposed network of marine protected areas (MPAs), according to new research.
Experts say these areas could safeguard some of the most important areas at sea for the flightless birds.
The findings, published on Penguin Awareness Day, suggest that, if all the MPAs proposed around Antarctica were adopted, the permanent conservation of high-quality areas for penguins would increase by between 49% and 100% depending on the species.
Sphen and Magic, two male gentoo penguins at the Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney
A competition has been launched to name the second chick hatched by famous gay penguin couple Sphen and Magic.
Sphen and Magic, two male gentoo penguins at the Sea Life Aquarium in Sydney, found fame in October 2018 when they hatched their first chick, after zookeepers noticed them attempting to hatch a rock and gave them a spare egg to look after.
After successfully parenting first chick Lara, the inseparable couple are now the aquarium’s go-to adoptive dads for eggs neglected by straight penguins, and recently hatched a second chick.
Who knew there was a holiday to celebrate the most adorable flightless birds in the world?! January 20 is Penguin Awareness Day, so it only seems fitting to share this cool opportunity with you to celebrate!
Over the years, Zoo Boise has hosted several Paint with Penguin events where guests are invited to a very special evening at the Penguin Pavilion. During your two hour visit, you ll paint the background of your canvas while enjoying drinks and snacks. You ll also be delighted by a special keeper talk about the Magellanic penguins and a behind the scenes tour. After the tour, the penguins get to take a stroll around your artwork and add their own personal touch to you painting before you take it home.