African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)  

One of 17 species of penguins found in the southern hemisphere, the African penguin is native to the southwest coast of Africa. Like all penguins, the African penguin is dependent on coastal habitats for nesting and coldwater currents for their food (fish, squid, and krill).

African penguins are currently listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List of Threatened Species. This means that they are a species at risk of becoming threatened or endangered in the near future.

African penguins are affected by a number of activities that are related to our growing human population. Like many species, African penguins are suffering habitat loss on the beaches where they breed and molt. Also, because they live on the coast, they are very vulnerable to oil spills. Finally, African penguins are also affected by overfishing – poor fishing practices destroy their habitat and take many of their prey species, leaving fewer fish for the penguins to hunt.

Approximately 100 years ago, African penguins numbered more than 1.5 million birds. Their current population is down to roughly 150,000. African penguins are a species under review to be re-categorized and will likely be placed on the Endangered Species List in the near future.

For more information on African penguins and their conservation, please visit www.sanccob.co.za.