African Penguins

The African Penguin is a member of the banded group of penguins. They are also known as the Black-footed Penguin and the Jackass Penguin (from the braying sound they make).

Common Name: African Penguin; Black-footed Penguin; Jackass Penguin

Scientific name: Spheniscus demersus

Population: 25,000 breeding pairs

Weight and heights: 3.0 kg – 3.3 kg, 60 cm

Lifespan: 20 years

Conservation status: Endangered

Population Trend: Decreasing

Geographic Breeding Range: Namibia; South Africa

Prey/diet: Anchovy, sardines, bearded goby (in Namibia), horse mackerel, juvenile hake, redeye, and less commonly cephalopods and crustaceans

African Penguin
Photo source: Matti Blume [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

Distinguishing physical characteristics: Black face and nape with white supercilium stripe that runs around the back of the face and connects at the throat and breast. A single black stripe (rarely, two black stripes) run up the sides of the body and across the upper breast. A patch of naked pink skin lies above the eye, which may be feathered white immediately after molt. The bill is black with a vertical pale band near the tip. Eyes are brown; legs and feet are black with spots of pink.