Waddle We Do Without You
African Penguins have been uplisted by the IUCN to Critically Endangered.
On October 28th, 2024, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) updated the status of the African Penguin from Endangered to Critically Endangered. This change was brought on due to a steady decline in breeding populations. The number of breeding pairs in South African have fallen below 10,000 pairs after this species has already lost almost 97% of their historic populations. The African Penguin is the first of the eighteen species of penguins to meet the criteria for the Critically Endangered list.
What does this mean for the African Penguin?
This species is at serious risk for extinction and everything is moving quicker than you might expect. Scientists are estimating African Penguins could go extinct in the wild in less than 4,000 days if nothing changes. African Penguins could disappear from the shorelines of South Africa and Namibia as early as 2035.
The current estimate for African Penguin populations is around 19,800 individuals spread throughout South Africa and Namibia. African Penguins are facing many challenges and threats such as:
- Gull Predation
- Oiling
- Insufficient Breeding Habitat
- Disease
- Reduced Food Availability
- Nest Failure
- Human Impact on Nesting Sights
Sustainable Living
African Penguins are facing many hardships but there is one that sticks out to researchers. Penguins are in competition with commercial fisheries for their main prey items. This challenge is only heighted since climate changes of the area have adjusted fish populations as well. The main source of food is sardines and anchovies and without healthy amounts to sustain the populations, they swim longer, go hungry, and it makes it difficult for them to have a successful breeding season.
What can you do to support PACTS?
African Penguins will need additional support if they are going to come back from this loss. Shopping sustainably is one of the most impactful things consumers can do. A helpful resource for sustainable fishing options is Seafood Watch. The Seafood Watch website, run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, provides consumers with fish options that are sustainably caught. The search feature allows you to look for specific fish species and where they are caught to see which fisheries utilize sustainable practices.
The decision from the IUCN Red List to reclassify the African Penguin rings the alarm for urgent action that needs to be taken to prevent extinction. Conservation organizations have identified a first step to work on solutions before it is too late. 76% of the African Penguin population is found along the South African shorelines and there are currently commercial fishery no-take zones to give penguins ample fishing sites close to shore. Conservation research finds that these zones are not protecting the penguin’s fish populations as anticipated and have called for legal action to expand the no-take zones.
How can you help this cause?
Everyday citizens can make a substantial impact by supporting the cause and signing the OnlyOne petition created by SANCCOB, BirdLife South Africa, and Blue Marine to help push the South African government to enact change!
https://only.one/act/save-african-penguins
Click Below to Learn More about African Penguin Conservation Efforts:
- Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB)
- BirdLife South Africa (BLSA)
- African Penguin: Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE)
- Blue Marine Foundation (BMF)
Written by Dani DiMarco
Interpretation Coordinator
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA
