The African penguin, with its distinctive black-and-white plumage, is a cherished symbol of South Africa’s unique coastal ecosystem and an iconic attraction for both locals and tourists alike. Yet, the species – known for its playfulness and social bonds – has already lost 97% of its population and could be extinct in the wild by 2035 if current trends persist.
SANCCOB and BirdLife South Africa, with the support of ocean conservation charity Blue Marine Foundation, are urging the South African government and the international community to take immediate action to save the African penguin.
Faced with numerous threats, a primary cause of the African penguin’s decline is a lack of available food due to competition from commercial purse-seine small pelagic fishing around its breeding colonies, which impacts the species’ survival and breeding success. And while there are existing no-take zones where fishing is prohibited to help restore fish populations on which the penguins feed – primarily sardines and anchovies – new research by leading ornithologists finds these zones are inadequate for penguin conservation.
New scientific research analyses effectiveness of current no-take zones
The study evaluated different no-take zone scenarios around six major penguin colonies that together support 76% of the global African penguin population.
Out of the six colonies – Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island and Bird Island – four of these sites restrict purse-seine fishing in less than 50% of the penguins’ core feeding areas, while posing minimal to no economic loss to the fisheries.
In the paper, scientists including BirdLife South Africa’s Dr Alistair McInnes and the University of Exeter’s Dr Richard Sherley, recommend alternative and achievable limits that provide more substantial benefits to penguins without causing disproportionately high costs to the purse-seine fishing industry.
Landmark litigation underway
The flightless bird is now at the threshold of being classified as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List, and breeding pairs have fallen below 10 000 for the first time in history.
SANCCOB and BirdLife South Africa have united to take legal action to enforce greater protection of the species. Launched by the Biodiversity Law Centre earlier this year, the two non-profit organisations 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.
The legal action seeks to substitute the existing commercial fishery no-take zones with alternative zones that are better aligned to the African penguins’ important feeding areas, while minimising the impacts on the purse-seine fishing industry. While varying in extent, these zones would be effective around six major penguin colonies, to reduce competition and allow fish stocks to be replenished for penguin consumption.
International action is needed – now
South African free diver and social activist Zandi Ndhlovu, who featured on the BBC’s 100 Women 2023 list, has launched an initiative to highlight the fragile plight of the African penguin, encouraging those keen to support the birds to sign the OnlyOne petition created by ocean conservationists SANCCOB, BirdLife South Africa and Blue Marine.
The African penguin plays a vital role in our ecosystems, both in the ocean and on land. This urgent ecological disaster also points to much broader concern for the environment, with penguins being a key indicator of the wider ecological health of our ocean. Their plight is a key step in the fight to preserve life on both land and sea.
Ndhlovu has narrated a new campaign video to raise awareness of the alarming decline of the African penguin. She says, “When diving in the ocean around Cape Town’s stunning Boulders Beach, the sight of penguins is always so beautiful and uplifting. To think of them being deprived of food, through the actions of humans, is heartbreaking. 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.”
Nicky Stander, head of Conservation, SANCCOB, adds: “The African penguin is in a dire situation and we cannot afford to wait any longer to protect the species properly. In just over a decade, they could no longer exist, which not only has an impact on our marine ecosystem but also on South Africa’s economy and ecotourism. These animals are beloved and quintessential to South Africa – and governments, organisations and individuals must come together to save them at all costs. Sign our petition now.”
Alistair McInnes, Seabird Conservation programme manager at BirdLife South Africa, points out: “The main issue is their food supply and other threats at sea, which people don’t see; when people visit colonies at Stony Point or Boulders, they see the birds in large groups and don’t understand the level of threat or what’s affecting the penguin populations.”
Clare Brook, CEO of Blue Marine, comments: “It would be a tragedy if we lost these wonderful iconic birds. And all because of greedy, thoughtless overfishing.”
Sign the petition now.