Meet the African penguin also know as the jackass penguin or the black-footed penguin. Their scientific name is 'spheniscus demersus' (spheniscus meaning wedge, which refers to their streamlined swimming shape and, demersus is Latin meaning 'sinking or submerging'). Whatever name you use, he still wins the award for 'the most charismatic species of penguin' on the planet!
African penguins are found along the southern African coast, including coastal waters out to about 40 kilometers. They can dive under water for up to 2.5 minutes while trying to catch small fish. Like all extant penguins they are a flightless bird, have a streamlined body, and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat. It has are black and sharply delineated from the white underparts, which are spotted and marked with a black band. The pink gland above their eyes helps them to cope with changing temperatures. When the temperature gets hotter, the body of the African penguin sends more blood to these glands to be cooled by the air surrounding it. This then causes the gland to turn a darker shade of pink These little guys are totally monogamous with pairs returning to the same breeding site each year.
And the sad news? African penguins are facing their greatest struggle of all - the struggle for the existence of their species. They are on a fast track to extinction due to whole series of man-made disasters and problems. African penguins were listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as endangered in 2010 due to their continued rapid population decline. Their population is still declining today and they continue to be listed as endangered. They are a species in trouble and some estimate that their extinction will take place somewhere between 2025 and 2029 due to our human activities.
When did it start to go wrong?
Sadly, African penguin numbers have declined by almost 95 percent since pre-industrial times. In 1956 there were estimated to be 141,000 pairs of African penguins. In 2010, the number was estimated to be 55,000 pairs and today this stands at 21000. If this decline is not halted, the African penguin is expected to be extinct by 2026 #thinkaboutit
For over a century, African penguins have been the undeserving victims of man-made threats and problems and, are still being seriously menaced by human activity today. Drastic shortages of food caused by commercial sardines and anchovy fisheries - the two main prey species of the penguins - are causing a steady and perhaps irreversible decline in population numbers. Ever increasing numbers of tourists are putting the species at risk by collapsing nesting burrows and stressing the penguins to the point where they are unable to breed. Some tourists even stray from boardwalks, trying to take the perfect selfie with this rare little guy and inadvertently cause his death. In the recent past, major oil spills have inflicted great damage on African penguin populations. On 23 June 2000 an iron ore tanker near Robben Island sank releasing 1,300 tons of fuel oil, causing an unprecedented coastal bird crisis. Nearly 20,000 penguins were coated in thick oil spilling out from the sunken vessel at the height of the best breeding season on record.
What's being done to help the African penguin survive?
There are numerous efforts underway to save the African penguin, including strict protection of the birds. Oiled birds are rehabilitated with an approximate 80% chance of success, and a limited captive breeding program is underway in Cape Town. Additionally, small fiberglass igloos are being placed at breeding sites where guano has been destroyed (guano meaning: the accumulation of excrement of seabirds and bats. As a manure it is highly sought after fertilizer).
You may ask yourself is this important and does it really matter?
And the answer is yes, it is really important and yes, it matters a whole lot more than you ever imagined. These penguins are a globally recognized 'indicator species', meaning that their journey serves as an early warning indicator of environmental changes such as global warming, pollution and overfishing in the oceans. They are a species in trouble with some estimating their extinction will take place within 7 to 11 years.
In light of the pending extinction of the African Penguin, you have got to ask yourself what is the current state of the ocean and how much longer do we have until our extinction? #thinkaboutit
Further Information
If you want to help African Penguins, make a donations to a nonprofits working on their conservation. The Dyer Island Conservation Trust is the best and most effective. They works to protect the marine eco-system around the Western Cape in South Africa and a number of marine animals and birds in the area including the African penguin.
Commentaires