It’s a... girl! Sea Life Sydney Aquarium announce gender of baby penguin

Sea Life Sydney Aquarium have announced the gender of its first Sub Antarctic Penguin Chick, fostered by same sex couple Sphen and Magic.

Sea Life Sydney Aquarium’s first sub-Antarctic penguin chick - fostered by same-sex couple Sphen and Magic - has been announced as a female.

• Up close with the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium gay penguin dads and their chick
• Picture gallery: Same sex couple with the chick they are fostering

After months of anticipation, Sea Life Sydney Aquarium have announced the gender of its first Sub Antarctic Penguin chick, Sphengic.

“We’re so excited to finally have a confirmation that baby Sphengic is a little girl,” penguin department supervisor, Tish Hannan said.

Fostered by same sex couple Sphen and Magic, the Gentoo baby penguin, now three months old, has just started to see her personality.

As penguin parents share equal responsibility of raising the young, penguin department supervisor, Tish Hannan explains.

“We’ve started to see her personality shine in the last few weeks, and can confirm she is every bit the diva — or queen — we would only expect her to be,” she said.

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“While it is very important for our keepers to know the sex of new members of the colony for population management, gender is a different thing entirely.

“As penguin parents share equal responsibility of raising young, building and maintaining the nest, gender roles aren’t defined in penguins.”

The penguin chick being raised by two males pictured in November last year. Picture: John Appleyard

Ms Hannan said Sphengic will grow up to play with both her mum and dad.

“The team is now putting their thinking caps on to come up with the most appropriate name for our little girl, and will definitely be sharing this with her fans, both locally and around the world, as soon as possible,” she said.

Penguin trainer Laurie Keller watches over Sphen and Magic with the chick they are fostering at Sealife Sydney Aquarium. The two male penguins incubated, hatched and are caring for the chick after a second egg was layed by another Gentoo couple. Picture: John Appleyard

Last month the penguin had her first aquatic lesson.

The female chick when she was a little younger.

Last month, Sphenic had her first aquatic lesson with the help of penguin supervisors.

“One of the most important things when baby penguins are learning how to swim is for them to get used to having their heads underneath the water so that they can see,” she said.

“While she wasn’t always a natural, she’s now perfected the art of swimming.

“The next step in Baby Sphengic’s development is learning how to feed under water.”