Africa’s only penguin needs our help. But why are these seabirds facing extinction and what can we actually do to give them a boost? Is there anything? The answer is yes! Here’s what you need to know:
Cape Town, South Africa (10 October 2024) — With International African Penguin Awareness Day celebrated just yesterday, African Penguins are front of mind for many South Africans. But, we do have many questions. Are the measures attempting to protect the seabird from extinction effective? Or do they need a boost? Is enough being done? And how can we, as the public, actually make an effective change?
Need to Knows
- The species has already lost 97% of its population
- African Penguins are down to less than 10,000 breeding pairs
- Estimations point to its extinction in the wild as soon as 2035
What’s Caused This?
The African penguin has faced numerous threats. But, a primary cause of the seabird’s decline is a lack of available food due to competition from commercial purse-seine small—pelagic fishing around its breeding colonies.
As CEO of Blue Marine, Clare Brook puts it succinctly:
“It would be a tragedy if we lost these wonderful iconic birds. And all because of greedy, thoughtless overfishing.”
What Are The Measures in Place to Fix The Penguin’s Plight?
Currently, no-take zones do exist (spots where fishing is prohibited to help restore fish populations for the penguins’ food source), but research by ornithologists has found that these zones are ineffective for penguin conservation.
Based on a recent study that evaluated different no-take zone scenarios around six major penguin colonies (that together support 76% of the global African Penguin population), it has been found that the majority of no-take zones are problematic. This is because they reportedly only restrict fishing in less than 50% of the penguins’ main feeding areas—meaning that the areas counting the most are not being protected effectively.
This essentially means that fisheries are still benefiting while the penguins suffer—not exactly great for the mood in the world of penguin conservation.
Giving Protective Measures a Boost
Scientists, including BirdLife South Africa’s Dr Alistair McInnes and the University of Exeter’s Dr Richard Sherley, have recommended alternative and achievable limits that provide better prospects for the penguins that won’t cause disproportionately high costs to the purse-seine fishing industry.
So, the main matter is one of litigation.
SANCCOB and BirdLife South Africa have united to take legal action to enforce greater protection of the species. The two non-profits instituted against the office of the South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to challenge the Minister’s ‘biologically meaningless’ island closures to purse-seine fishing around key African Penguin colonies.
Essentially, the legal work is trying to change the no-take zones for alternative zones that are better aligned to the important feeding areas.
These alternatives would hopefully give penguins a boost, reducing feeding competition and allowing fish stocks to be replenished!
In line with this SANCCOB, BirdLife South Africa and the Blue Marine Foundation recently launched a campaign focused on saving the African Penguin. A big part of it is a petition calling on the South African government to make the change! You can sign the petition here.
Ocean Heroes Unite
International action is needed from marine life lovers and ocean heroes around the world. South African free diver and social activist Zandi Ndhlovu (Zandi the Mermaid), for one, has launched an initiative to highlight the plight of the African Penguin in support of the petition and is the narrator of the new campaign video.
As Zandi says: “I urge the international community to sign our petition today to create a catalyst for immediate action—the South African government needs to take action now, before Africa’s only penguin is lost forever.”
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