<
https://theconversation.com/african-penguins-could-be-extinct-by-2035-how-to-save-them-243384>
"In October 2024, the African penguin became the first penguin species in the
world to be listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature.
This is a sad record for Africa’s only penguin, and means it is now just one
step away from extinction.
How did this happen? African penguins (
Spheniscus demersus) are found only in
Namibia and South Africa. Their numbers have been declining since the 1800s. At
that time, they were burnt in ships’ boilers, their eggs were harvested and
consumed as a delicacy, and their nests were destroyed by guano-harvesters
seeking a rich source of fertiliser.
Such activities are fortunately no longer allowed. African penguins have been
protected under South Africa’s
Sea Birds and Seals Protection Act since 1973
(and more recently under the
Marine Threatened or Protected Species
Regulations since 2017).
These laws and regulations ban the capture of penguins or their eggs, and any
intentional harm done to them. Fertilisers no longer use guano (penguin
excrement). After egg and guano harvesting stopped, the lack of prey (small
fish like sardines and anchovies) became the main issue for penguins from the
early 2000s.
The impacts of climate change on the distribution and abundance of their food,
and competition with industrial fisheries, have contributed to a 70% reduction
in this penguin’s population between 2000 and 2024.
We are a group of scientists from universities and non-governmental
organisations that have, for years, focused on solutions to save the African
penguin. Today, unless the South African government takes urgent steps to
protect the African penguin, it will likely become extinct in the wild by 2035.
At present there are fewer than 20,000 birds left in the wild.
Penguins are like the canaries in the coal mine. They are disappearing because
the ecosystem they rely on, together with many other species, including fish
targeted by commercial fisheries, is in dire straits. By saving them, we
protect their ecosystem and the other species that rely on it.
Penguins are also valuable to the economy, bringing in revenue from tourism."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
