Critical Endangerment of African Penguins Spurs Calls for Stricter Conservation Efforts

The African penguin, Africa’s only penguin species, is now critically endangered, facing potential extinction by 2035. Despite conservation efforts, their population has dropped by 70% since 2000, with fewer than 20,000 remaining. Historically, threats included egg harvesting and guano (penguin excrement) collection but government policies have since put a stop to those. Now, the major challenge to the penguins’ survival is the depletion of fish stocks due to climate change and industrial fishing. Recent conservation measures, like artificial nests and fishing bans around penguins’ breeding areas, have shown positive results. However, ship-to-ship bunkering in Algoa Bay, causing four oil spills and increased underwater noise pollution, accelerated the decline of the penguin population in the 2010s. To save the African penguin, the South African government needs to enforce stricter fishing regulations in critical areas and ensure greater protection of their habitats from pollution.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION