African Penguin
Who doesn’t love the look of a penguin- a chubby, awkward and effervescent black and white butterball that can be found in many different parts of the world. Many people, like myself, associate penguins with the frigid landscape of Antarctica, but in fact, there are several types that inhabit the African continent, which is much warmer and more temperate overall. The African Penguin is one of these.
Found only in South Africa and neighboring countries, African Penguins are on the smaller side of the Penguin spectrum- weighing only around 8 pounds and standing at an average 2 feet in height. Like all penguins, they are completely flightless and quite clumsy on land, but when they enter the sea, they are quick and efficient. They exist on squid and fish and spend a large part of their time in the water hunting for food. Their natural predators are seals and sharks when they swim, but on land, where they breed, they are additionally threatened by large seabirds and even cats and dogs.
African Penguins populations have radically decrease in recent decades. Over 4 million existed in the 19th century, and that number has been reduced to a mere 50,000- largely due pollution and overfishing by humans. They were listed as an endangered species in 2010.
Found only in South Africa and neighboring countries, African Penguins are on the smaller side of the Penguin spectrum- weighing only around 8 pounds and standing at an average 2 feet in height. Like all penguins, they are completely flightless and quite clumsy on land, but when they enter the sea, they are quick and efficient. They exist on squid and fish and spend a large part of their time in the water hunting for food. Their natural predators are seals and sharks when they swim, but on land, where they breed, they are additionally threatened by large seabirds and even cats and dogs.
African Penguins populations have radically decrease in recent decades. Over 4 million existed in the 19th century, and that number has been reduced to a mere 50,000- largely due pollution and overfishing by humans. They were listed as an endangered species in 2010.