The South African government is facing growing pressure to take “immediate action” towards the protection and conservation of its iconic coastal bird, following dire warnings that the African penguin could be extinct in the wild by 2035 if current trends go unaddressed. 

Dramatic declines in local food sources, fuelled by competition from commercial fishing practices close to the bird’s breeding colonies, has led to a sharp loss in the number of African penguin now living in the wild.

The flightless bird – known for its distinctive black-and-white plumage and playful demeanour – is now at the threshold of being classified ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List as breeding pairs have fallen below 10,000 for the first time in history.

Rates of survival and breeding success have dropped dramatically in recent years, leading to the loss of 97% of the species’ wild population. Competition from commercial purse-seine small pelagic fishing around the African Penguin’s breeding colonies are heavily impacting the bird’s access to food. While local no-take zones do exist, the latest research from leading ornithologists has found them to be ‘inadequate for penguin conservation’.

In an attempt to reverse these fortunes, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) has teamed with BirdLife South Africa and the ocean conservation charity, Blue Marine to take legal action against the South African government in the pursuit of stronger and more impactful measures that better align to the African penguin’s feeding habits and the areas from which its food is sourced.

Out of the six major penguin colonies supporting 76% of the global African penguin population – Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island, and Bird Island – four restrict purse-seine fishing in less than 50% of core feeding areas.

Both SANCCOB and BirdLife South Africa have called current restrictions “biologically meaningless”, calling for more impactful measures from the South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment.

Key to the campaign will be bringing the crisis to the attention of the international audience. To do so, SANCCOB has enlisted the help of the South African free diver and social activist, Zandi Ndhlovu who has, this week, launched her own initiative to highlight the fragile plight of the African penguin and encourage the international community to support the cause by signing the OnlyOne petition.

“When diving in the ocean around Cape Town’s stunning Boulders Beach, the sight of penguins is always so beautiful and uplifting,” she said. “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.”

SANCCOB has referred to the plight now being faced by the African penguin as a ‘key indicator of the wider ecological health of the ocean,’ highlighting the vital role the bird plays in the ecosystem both in the ocean and on land.

“The African Penguin is in a dire situation and we cannot afford to wait any longer to protect the species properly,” said Nicky Stander, head of conservation at SANCCOB. “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. Governments, organisations, and individuals must come together to save them at all costs. Sign our petition now.”

Watch a penguin hunt fish in this penguin cam footage: 

For more from our Ocean Newsroom, click here.