Race against extinction: Predation, noise pollution the next big threats to African penguins
The African penguin could become extinct in 10 years but environmental groups are trying everything they can to save them.
The African penguins we know and love may not be around for much longer. Organisations like BirdLife South Africa, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob), WWF and Cape Nature, however, are doing everything they can to arrest the decline.
Their recent World Environment Day celebration at Stony Point Nature Reserve in Kogelberg — the site of one of the Cape's key penguin colonies — highlighted the continued efforts needed to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered African penguin and the benefits African penguins bring to local communities.
African penguins are set to become extinct in 10 years, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In 2024, the number of breeding pairs at Stony Point Nature Reserve dropped by half — leaving only 676 pairs.
While the decrease in breeding pairs cannot necessarily be explained by death, Craig Smith, a senior marine specialist at the WWF, said: 'Penguins are an indicator species.'
Penguins' decision not to breed — or to abandon their eggs — means we should have 'grave concern' for ecosystem health.
Earlier this year, a landmark settlement agreement between conservation NGOs and the commercial fishing industry created 'no fishing zones' around five key African penguin colonies, including Stony Point, in an effort to protect penguins' food sources.
Thus far, food resource competition between penguins and small pelagic fisheries for anchovies and sardines has been the greatest threat to African penguins. But even with the creation of no-fishing zones, the struggle is not over.
According to Smith, the West Coast sardine stock is depleted. Anchovies are at their lowest on record. And it's hard to get these species to rebound. A Namibian small pelagic fishery with sardine and anchovy paused its operations to allow the species to recover, Smith said. But seven years had passed and the species had not recovered.
If the prey conditions of these key small fish can improve, as long as commercial fisheries maintain reasonable exploitation rates, then it might be enough to mitigate resource competition, according to Alistair MacInnes, the Seabird Conservation Programme Manager at Birdlife SA.
But even then, two key threats to penguins remain: noise pollution and predation.
Noise pollution
'Since ship-to-ship bunkering… started in 2016, the closest (penguin) colony, St Croix, has suffered a dramatic decline. They've lost 85 to 90% of their population,' said Nicky Stander, the head of conservation at Sanccob.
Ship-to-ship bunkering, also known as ship-to-ship fuel banking, is the process of transfer of petrol from one ship to another while at sea. It is a highly risky activity that can result in oil spills.
This practice results in an enormous amount of noise because of the increased vessel traffic required for this practice, which can have a significant impact on penguin breeding.
Currently, ship-to-ship bunkering is allowed at Agoa Bay.
Predation
Furthermore, land-based penguin colonies like those at Stony Point and Simon's Town face an added challenge, with threats from inland and from the ocean. Penguins are prey to sharks, seals, mongoose, and even wild dogs.
'If you remove one predator, it can simply get replaced by another,' said Alana Duffell-Canham from CapeNature on the difficulty of contending with predation as a threat. Further, conservationists must consider how 'predators are also important for maintaining ecosystem balances'.
Even so, CapeNature had started to install camera traps and was looking for more funding to implement more predation monitoring at Stony Point, Duffell-Canham said.
'We are throwing everything we can at the species,' Sanccob's Stander said. This included blood transfusions, fracture repairs, and chick rescuing programmes. 'Because their status is so critical, we have to try everything possible to save each individual.'
Following the court outcome, conservation groups will continue monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of their efforts. Alistar MacInnes from Birdlife SA emphasized the need for every location to collect the same data.
There would be formal evaluations — one in six years, and another in 10 years. The six-year evaluation was associated with when most young birds would breed for the first time since the first year of fishing closure. The 10-year evaluation was associated with the previously predicted extinction date for African penguins. If researchers saw improved foraging efficiency by that time, it would indicate a positive turn for the survival of African penguins.
Change came slowly and 'the data needed for advocacy and policy change can only come in six years, given the natural cycle of penguins', said McInnes.
Penguin conservation efforts had also created opportunities for young people in the nearby Mooiuitsig community. Young people served as WWF's Marine and Coastal Community Monitors, recording data, checking for pollution, and collecting and recording plastic waste.
In the end, Smith from WWF asked: 'Penguins are a charismatic species. If we can't protect this species, then what can we protect?' DM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
14 hours ago
- IOL News
Honouring seaman Pooventharan Thangavalu: a tribute on the Wall of Remembrance
Seaman Pooventharan Thangavalu of the South African Marine Corps, who was killed in 1989. Image: Supplied IT was a bitter-sweet moment for the family of the late Seaman Pooventharan Thangavalu of the then-South African Marine Corps, whose name was recently added to the Wall of Remembrance. The wall, which is situated at the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria, carries the names of those that served in the South African military and died during the Angolan bush war. Thangavalu, who hailed from Merebank, was shot and killed by a fellow marine on January 23 in 1989. He was 19-years-old at the time. Perseelan Thangavalu, his elder brother, said the family were left feeling overwhelmed with his acknowledgement. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Thangavalu's family members, from left, Chance Thangavalu (nephew), Perseelan Thangavalu (brother), Prabashinie Thangavalu (sister-in-law), and Lance Thangavalu (nephew), in front of the Wall of Remembrance where his name was included. Image: Supplied 'We feel a deep sense of pride and honour that my brother has been acknowledged for his service. Although it has been over 30 years since his passing, our family, especially our mother, still feels the pain of our loss. But it has definitely brought us some joy to see his name on the wall, alongside the others who are part of our country's military history,' he said. Vinesh Selvan, public relations officer for the South African Indian Legion (SAIL) of Military Veterans, said he was contacted by a member of the Pro Patria Museum requesting the names of fallen Indian participants during the war. 'The only Indian whose name reflected on the wall was that of Airman P Ramsamy, who was a fireman in the Air Force. The only other member to my knowledge was Thangavalu.' Selvan said Thangavalu was killed instantly in a shooting incident while stationed at Wenela Military Base in Namibia. 'Earlier in the day, a fellow marine had entered the bungalow and removed the magazine from his rifle without carrying out safety checks to ensure the rifle chamber was clear. He put the rifle down on his bed and went off on an exercise run. 'The same marine, together with Thangavalu later returned to the bungalow. The marine picked up the weapon and they both proceeded to joke around and play games with it. Despite calls from fellow marines to desist, the two of them continued to joke and play around with the rifle until a shot went off, hitting Thangavalu in the head and killing him instantly,' he said. Selvan said the addition of Thangavalu's name to the wall signified an acknowledgment of the Indian participation in the Angolan bush war. 'During the Angolan bush war, the marines were tasked to perform patrols with their boats along the rivers, as well as border patrols to prevent enemy fighters from entering South West Africa and attacking the South African forces. His name and sacrifice have not been forgotten.' Selvan added that among the non-profit organisation's projects included erecting a Wall of Remembrance at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town and one in Durban. 'We are still looking for a site in Durban. The Indian military history in South Africa is almost non-existent in military museums, and SAIL is busy writing the story of Indians into history and into have completed the Indian military history in the South African Air Force Museum, which has three locations - Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town. 'We have also erected a Wall of Remembrance and recently completed the 'Role of Indians in the South African Military' exhibition at the Ditsong National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg. In October, we will also be hosting our annual commemorative service in Johannesburg and Durban to remember the fallen Indian soldiers of South Africa,' he said. THE POST
The Citizen
16 hours ago
- The Citizen
Arcadia CID plants hundreds of flowers on busy street
To commemorate World Environment Month, the Arcadia City Improvement District (CID) recently took to the streets to plant 519 flowers along Stanza Bopape Street. The planting took place on World Environment Day, June 5. CID manager Catherine Keyworth says they chose the number for a reason: '519 flowers have been planted to celebrate our continued success in terms of the SAPS Crime Statistics and to observe World Environment Day along Stanza Bopape Street.' She said 519 Stanza Bopape Street is also their street address. Following the release of the recent fourth quarter crime statistics, Keyworth believes, despite its challenges, Arcadia remains one of the safest suburbs in the metro. 'The success that we see in Arcadia is the fruit of more than 20 years of hard work. Our founders and board of directors had the foresight to see a problem developing and the necessary steps to correct the course of urban decay to protect the area,' she said. Flowers planted on the day included an assortment of bee-friendly flowerswell-suited to the winter sun. These included petunias, Barberton daisies, and pansies. She thanked all who continue to add to the community and encouraged Arcadians to report problems when they see them so they can be addressed. 'The more we speak as a community about shared challenges, the stronger our voices are. 'We would like to see more investment in the area in terms of infrastructure improvements, more innovative green projects such as solar lighting. And the seat of our nation's capital given the support it needs to thrive,' she concluded. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Daily Maverick
Race against extinction: Predation, noise pollution the next big threats to African penguins
The African penguin could become extinct in 10 years but environmental groups are trying everything they can to save them. The African penguins we know and love may not be around for much longer. Organisations like BirdLife South Africa, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob), WWF and Cape Nature, however, are doing everything they can to arrest the decline. Their recent World Environment Day celebration at Stony Point Nature Reserve in Kogelberg — the site of one of the Cape's key penguin colonies — highlighted the continued efforts needed to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered African penguin and the benefits African penguins bring to local communities. African penguins are set to become extinct in 10 years, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In 2024, the number of breeding pairs at Stony Point Nature Reserve dropped by half — leaving only 676 pairs. While the decrease in breeding pairs cannot necessarily be explained by death, Craig Smith, a senior marine specialist at the WWF, said: 'Penguins are an indicator species.' Penguins' decision not to breed — or to abandon their eggs — means we should have 'grave concern' for ecosystem health. Earlier this year, a landmark settlement agreement between conservation NGOs and the commercial fishing industry created 'no fishing zones' around five key African penguin colonies, including Stony Point, in an effort to protect penguins' food sources. Thus far, food resource competition between penguins and small pelagic fisheries for anchovies and sardines has been the greatest threat to African penguins. But even with the creation of no-fishing zones, the struggle is not over. According to Smith, the West Coast sardine stock is depleted. Anchovies are at their lowest on record. And it's hard to get these species to rebound. A Namibian small pelagic fishery with sardine and anchovy paused its operations to allow the species to recover, Smith said. But seven years had passed and the species had not recovered. If the prey conditions of these key small fish can improve, as long as commercial fisheries maintain reasonable exploitation rates, then it might be enough to mitigate resource competition, according to Alistair MacInnes, the Seabird Conservation Programme Manager at Birdlife SA. But even then, two key threats to penguins remain: noise pollution and predation. Noise pollution 'Since ship-to-ship bunkering… started in 2016, the closest (penguin) colony, St Croix, has suffered a dramatic decline. They've lost 85 to 90% of their population,' said Nicky Stander, the head of conservation at Sanccob. Ship-to-ship bunkering, also known as ship-to-ship fuel banking, is the process of transfer of petrol from one ship to another while at sea. It is a highly risky activity that can result in oil spills. This practice results in an enormous amount of noise because of the increased vessel traffic required for this practice, which can have a significant impact on penguin breeding. Currently, ship-to-ship bunkering is allowed at Agoa Bay. Predation Furthermore, land-based penguin colonies like those at Stony Point and Simon's Town face an added challenge, with threats from inland and from the ocean. Penguins are prey to sharks, seals, mongoose, and even wild dogs. 'If you remove one predator, it can simply get replaced by another,' said Alana Duffell-Canham from CapeNature on the difficulty of contending with predation as a threat. Further, conservationists must consider how 'predators are also important for maintaining ecosystem balances'. Even so, CapeNature had started to install camera traps and was looking for more funding to implement more predation monitoring at Stony Point, Duffell-Canham said. 'We are throwing everything we can at the species,' Sanccob's Stander said. This included blood transfusions, fracture repairs, and chick rescuing programmes. 'Because their status is so critical, we have to try everything possible to save each individual.' Following the court outcome, conservation groups will continue monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of their efforts. Alistar MacInnes from Birdlife SA emphasized the need for every location to collect the same data. There would be formal evaluations — one in six years, and another in 10 years. The six-year evaluation was associated with when most young birds would breed for the first time since the first year of fishing closure. The 10-year evaluation was associated with the previously predicted extinction date for African penguins. If researchers saw improved foraging efficiency by that time, it would indicate a positive turn for the survival of African penguins. Change came slowly and 'the data needed for advocacy and policy change can only come in six years, given the natural cycle of penguins', said McInnes. Penguin conservation efforts had also created opportunities for young people in the nearby Mooiuitsig community. Young people served as WWF's Marine and Coastal Community Monitors, recording data, checking for pollution, and collecting and recording plastic waste. In the end, Smith from WWF asked: 'Penguins are a charismatic species. If we can't protect this species, then what can we protect?' DM
