Endemic to southern Africa, the African penguin is one of the world's most endangered seabirds, facing extinction in the wild by 2035. The population has declined by 90% over the past 70 years and is now down to around 8,500 breeding pairs. .
The African penguin, the only species that breeds on the African continent, is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), meaning it is one step away from extinction in the wild.
Seabird populations in South Africa and Namibia have plummeted from nearly 1 million pairs in the early 1900s to just 8,324 pairs in 2023, and the species could become extinct in the wild by 2035. There is.
In its assessment, the IUCN said African penguins were “experiencing extremely rapid population declines” primarily due to competition from commercial fishing and changes in prey populations due to climate.
“Recent, near-complete population data on breeding pairs indicate an alarming acceleration of the rate of decline, with current and projected future population declines exceeding 80% over three generations.” said the report.
According to BirdLife South Africa, the South African Coastal Bird Conservation Foundation (Sancob) and Blue Marine, the reclassification marks a critical juncture for the future of the species.
African penguins are battling threats including habitat loss. Pollution; increased ship traffic and noise. Although predation and disease are to blame, the main cause of their decline is food shortages due to climate change. This situation is further exacerbated by competition from commercial purse seine (large net) fishing around breeding colonies.
No-commercial fishing zones surround six African penguin colonies, but these areas do not adequately protect feeding grounds, forcing the penguins to compete with commercial fishers for food. Each organization stated.
In March, BirdLife South Africa and Suncob launched a ground-breaking lawsuit against the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment demanding the establishment of more protective no-take zones around major breeding colonies.
BirdLife South Africa's Alistair McInnes said the availability of sardines and anchovies was a key factor in increasing African penguin populations.
“Sustainable management of purse seine fisheries, including establishing effective no-take zones around the last remaining large colonies, is an important intervention to help conserve this species,” he said.
Richard Shirley of the University of Exeter in the UK said the African penguin's designation as an endangered species highlights a larger issue about the health of the environment.
“If an iconic species like the African penguin is struggling to survive, it begs the question of how many other species are going extinct without us even realizing it. Not just penguins. , we need to act now to protect wider biodiversity, which is critical to the future of our planet,” he said.
Conservation of African penguins is expected to have an estimated total cost of between R1.9 billion and R4.5 billion in 2023, and African penguin conservation is “not only an environmental priority but also an important economic and social concern for South Africa.” The new evaluation results have been announced. The value of seabirds.
The report, compiled by Anchor Environmental Consultants, was commissioned by the Endangered Wildlife Trust and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, with input from the African Penguin Biodiversity Management Plan Working Group.
The authors present estimates of the tourism, recreation, and existential value of the African penguin, and describe the property-related, media-related, and educational benefits, as well as the potential reputational risks of failing to protect the species.
The country's penguin colonies attract hundreds of thousands of domestic and international tourists every year and contribute significantly to the economic activity of the surrounding region, the report said.
“Taking into account additional income generated from accommodation, guided tours and other tourism-related activities, the total economic contribution from penguin colonies across the country is estimated to be between R613 million and R2.7 billion,” the report said. The book says:
This highlights the role penguin-related tourism plays in supporting local economies, jobs and businesses. Approximately 1,046 to 4,611 jobs are associated with penguin colonies.
The study also found that people benefit from knowing about African penguin colonies, whether or not they intend to visit them. This is expressed through their commitment to pay to ensure conservation.
A survey in Cape Town found that residents were willing to donate between R551 million and R731 million annually to conservation efforts.
The report estimates that the total tourism value of all penguin colonies, including Boulders, Stony Point, Dassen Island, Bird Island, Robben Island, Dyer Island and St Croix Island, will increase from R613 million to R2,702 million in 2023. He pointed out that it is estimated that
The government is legally considered the African penguin's owner and morally its guardian. The report said this type of loss “presents a very significant reputational risk to South Africa”.
“A complete loss of the African penguin population would undermine South Africa's brand reputation as a naturally rich and environmentally sound destination, renowned for its natural assets,” the report said.
The survival of the species depends on long-term government commitment, just as South Africa has achieved with other species such as the rhinoceros.
“Failure to protect the African penguin would mean that the national government was not fulfilling its mandate and doing everything it could to prevent the species from becoming extinct,” the report said.
For example, declaring new marine protected areas through Operation Phakisa is not enough. Such activities also need to be supported through additional funding for new protected areas.
“Increased funding may serve as a short-term solution, but a deeper understanding and appreciation of what functional extinction of African penguin populations actually means is needed,” the report said. The book points out.
Policy makers must make trade-offs between fisheries, industry interests (including ports and bunkering), and penguin habitat, with industry needs typically taking precedence over penguin needs. “The solutions to these problems are not easy and require a holistic approach.”
Ultimately, the solution is through better management and policy, the report says. We need an ecosystem approach to fisheries, and we need to better manage ocean health from a system-wide perspective, rather than just focusing on specific species.
“We need to ensure that rehabilitated penguins are released into ecosystems that can support them. Closing islands for fishing around penguin breeding colonies is currently not sufficient, but the concept is It gives them the opportunity to find food, feed their chicks, and have a more successful breeding season.”
A long-term solution may be to suspend sardine fishing to allow the population to recover. The ministry reported last year that sardine stocks are considered depleted.
Driving African penguin populations to extinction could have serious and irreversible ecological consequences. Penguin declines and losses can disrupt ecosystem health and cause further losses to the wider ecosystem.
The report states that the intrinsic value of a species, its inherent value beyond its utility, imposes a moral obligation to protect it and prevent harm.
“If ethical imperatives alone do not justify the necessary allocation of resources, a compelling economic argument can prevent further catastrophic losses and further reinforce the urgency of restoring penguin populations to sustainable levels.” may be emphasized.
