To encourage conservation and public awareness of the plight of African penguins, Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s #Not on Our Watch campaign is planning a Worldwide Waddle on October 14, 2023. This is also International Penguin Awareness Day. The plight of these penguins is at risk of extinction without public support.
By 2035, African penguins won’t retain enough breeding pairs for the species to survive in the wild. A scientific report warns of the current rate of decline of over 500 breeding pairs of African penguins living in Namibia and South Africa. Numbers of these birds have plummeted from over one million in the early 1900s to less than 20,000 today, with the downward trend continuing. Even though the South African government has continued fishing closures around some African penguin colonies, “it’s far from enough to make a significant impact and stop the plunge toward extinction,” (Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation). Even with the closures, there is a shortage of small fish for the penguins to eat.
According to Dr. Judy Mann, Executive of Strategic Projects at Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, one of the biggest challenges is food availability. “With fish stocks collapsing and fewer sardines available, African penguins are struggling to get enough food,” said Mann. “Colony management, habitat for breeding, disease, predation by seals and gulls and the impact of storms and flooding are adding challenges for the African penguins.”
The African penguins are labeled as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on its Red List of Threatened Species. The goal of Two Oceans Not on Our Watch Campaign (NOOW) is to raise “worldwide public awareness about the plight of African penguins” to encourage the government to enact stricter policies and laws that will ensure this species continues to exist in the wild and to support the conservation community. (Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation)
Mann believes that if “fisheries, the South African government, oil, and shipping companies, management agencies, scientists, conservationists, international allies and the public work together, we can stop African penguin numbers from declining every year.” The #NOOW campaign is asking penguin-lovers to email South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment with encouragement letters in support of African penguins. Go to www.africanpenguins.org to hit a button and send the letter and to find out more about the waddles.
In addition, join a Free Virtual Celebration Tuesday October 10, 2023 at 9:30 AM MST to hear from Dr. Susana Cárdenas-Alayza on Humboldt Penguins and Dr. Judy Mann-Lang on African Penguins on Facebook LIVE: https://fb.me/e/3WlXEHtSQ
And, join Penguins International for a Free In-Person ‘Waddle and Wine’ Celebration Friday October 13, 2023 at 4:00 PM MST at 5171 Eldorado Springs Dr. Suite N Boulder CO 80303 and wear your best Black and White outfit for a prize! Limited to the first 40 people, Register here: https://environmentamericas.org/ninja-forms/15vr6n/
References
Bonorchis, R. and Wares, H. (2023, August 8) African penguins on track for extinction if extra measures aren’t taken: A call to action. Two Oceans Aquarium. Retrieved from https://www.aquarium.co.za/news/african-penguins-on-track-for-extinction-if-extra-measures-arent-taken-a-call-to-action.
Jenkins, Andrew (2023, July 23) As African Penguins teeter on the brink of extinction, Boulders could be a vital education. Daily Maverick. Retrieved from https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2023-07-23-as-african-penguins-teeter-on-brink-of-extinction-boulders-could-be-vital-tool/
