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Sphen Magic – Same-sex penguin ‘love’ or anthropomorphic projection?

Julia Hager 28. August 2024 | animals, Antarctica, Science, Society
The same-sex partnership of the two male gentoo penguins Sphen and Magic was regularly celebrated at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium. Photo: Sea Life Sydney Aquarium

The Sea Life Sydney Aquarium recently had to say goodbye to one of its most famous residents: the gentoo penguin Sphen. His same-sex partnership with Magic made headlines worldwide, bringing the couple international fame.

Sphen and Magic: For six years, the two male gentoo penguins were a couple and successful parents to two chicks, Sphengic and Clancy. After their same-sex partnership became public in 2018, they became world-famous as the ‘Penguin Power Couple’. Around the globe, they inspired people with their ‘love story’ and as a symbol of diversity and equality, especially in the LGBTQIA+ community. Last week, Sphen died at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium at the age of 11.

But is ‘love’ really the right word to describe the relationship between the two penguins? We humans tend to project human emotions and characteristics onto animals – a phenomenon known as anthropomorphism. This is all too understandable: in a world that is far too dominated by shocking, sad and disturbing events, a story like that of Sphen and Magic particularly touches and warms our hearts. But what impact does the human interpretation of animal behavior have on the conservation of endangered species, for example?

Unlike their conspecifics, Sphen and Magic also stayed together outside the breeding season. Photo: Sea Life Sydney Aquarium

Like all animals, penguins exhibit behaviors that are driven by a combination of biological, environmental and social factors. While their bonds can be strong and enduring, attributing human motives to these behaviors can simplify and misrepresent them.

In conservation, anthropomorphism can be both a tool and a trap. On the one hand, it fosters empathy and helps people build an emotional connection to wildlife and develop a sense of responsibility and urgency for conservation. On the other hand, it can lead to misunderstandings about the needs and behavior of animals, such as ‘rescues’ that are well-intentioned but not necessary and in the worst case can end in the death of the animal. Just think of seemingly abandoned seal pups on the beach or fawns in the meadow.

The story of Sphen and Magic drew attention to the diverse social bonds within penguin colonies, even though same-sex partnerships were already known in the animal kingdom and also among penguins. However, while we celebrate these remarkable animals, it is important to look at their stories with an understanding based on biology and ecology, recognizing that their behavior is often more about survival than the romantic narratives we might be tempted to attribute to them.

A selection of comments left by fans of the two penguins on the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium website. Anthropomorphism is clearly expressed in some of them. Screenshots from https://www.visitsealife.com/sydney/information/news/vale-sphen/

Gentoo penguins – a short portrait

Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) belong to the genus of “brush-tailed penguins”, like Adélie and chinstrap penguins, and are the species with the most northerly range. They are mainly found on the sub-Antarctic islands and on the Antarctic Peninsula. With an estimated global population size of at least 384,000 pairs, about a quarter of them on the Antarctic Peninsula, Gentoo penguins are not an endangered species.

The range of Gentoo penguins. The breeding areas are marked in orange. Map: Screenshot https://birdsoftheworld.org/

The sub-Antarctic populations tend to be sedentary and, unlike their conspecifics from the Antarctic Peninsula, do not undertake long migrations. The latter swim north along the Argentinian coast in winter or occasionally end up as stray guests on Tasmania and in New Zealand.

With a size of 70 – 90 centimetres and a weight of 4.5 – 8.5 kilograms, they are the third largest penguins after emperor and king penguins. In the Antarctic, Gentoo penguins feed primarily on krill, which they catch during dives down to a depth of 54 meters. The penguins of the sub-Antarctic populations tend to hunt small fish and crustaceans, for which they dive to depths of 136 meters.

Gentoo penguins with chicks in a colony on the Antarctic Peninsula. Thanks to the good food availability in the Antarctic, both chicks usually survive here. (Photo: Julia Hager)

Like other penguin species, gentoo penguins typically mate with the same partner every year. They usually hatch two eggs on a nest made of stones and feathers. However, often only the chick that hatches first survives, especially on the more northerly islands. In the first month after hatching, the young stay in the nest and are fed alternately by both parents. Afterwards, the colony’s chicks gather in ‘nurseries’ while their parents are looking for food.

A life in captivity shortens the lifespan

The life expectancy of Gentoo penguins in the wild is 15 – 20 years. However, they face numerous challenges such as predators, unfavorable weather conditions or lack of food, all of which contribute to a shortened lifespan.

Sphen and Magic at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in October 2018.

In contrast, Gentoo penguins in captivity lead a low-risk life without predators, with a regular food supply and medical care. However, this “all inclusive” package does not necessarily increase their life expectancy. While there are reports of penguins reaching well over 20 years of age in zoos, the general lifespan of captive penguins is well below that of their wild counterparts at around ten years, with stress from visitors, lack of space and exercise, noise and a less stimulating environment compared to life in the wild certainly playing a role.

The factors that led to Sphen’s comparatively early death are difficult to determine. The Sea Life Sydney Aquarium only reported that he died of natural causes.

His partner Magic is now facing his first breeding season without Sphen and, according to the aquarium, is already starting to build his nest.

Julia Hager, Polar Journal AG

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