Author: Morgan Cadle
What to Expect of the African Penguin in South Africa
Southern Africa offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to encounter African Penguins in their natural habitat. Visitors can explore protected areas and islands where their colonies thrive, such as Boulders Beach near Cape Town, which is famous for its accessible penguin viewing boardwalks. The coastline hosts these penguins year-round, but their presence is most notable during their breeding season from March to May. During that time, they can be seen feeding near the shore and engaging in courtship displays.
Observers from a boat have the opportunity to witness a variety of behaviours. These include breaching (jumping out of the water), tail flapping, spy hopping (raising their heads vertically out of the water to look around), and occasionally mating displays or fast swimming as they hunt for prey, they can reach speeds of up to 20 kilometers.
The African Penguin, scientifically known as Spheniscus demersus, is a highly beloved seabird native to the southern coastlines of Africa. Recognizable for its black and white plumage and endearing waddle, these penguins are a charismatic symbol of the marine environment and one of the few seabirds that can be spotted in South Africa.
The African Penguin got its common name, ‘Jackass Penguin,’ from the distinctive braying sound it produces, which reminds people of a donkey’s call. This vocalization is a characteristic feature that early observers noted and associated with the species, leading to them gifting this species with its common name. Its scientific name, Spheniscus demersus, is a reflection of its classification within the genus Spheniscus, which includes other small to medium-sized penguin species. The species name ‘demersus,’ is Latin and it means ‘plunging’ or ‘diving,’ which describe penguin’s behaviour as it jumps into the ocean in search of food.
The lifespan of the African Penguin is typically around 10 to 15 years in the wild. Those who live in captivity have been known to live much longer, often going up to 20 or even 30 years because of frequent feeding, lack of predators and veterinary care. The oldest known African Penguin on record was named Tess. She lived at the Bergen Aquarium in Norway and lived to the impressive age of 40 years old before she passed away in 2004.
An adult African Penguin stands up to 60 to 70 centimetres and weight between 2 to 5 kilograms. Like many other species, the males are slightly larger than the females.
Distribution and Migration
These penguins can primarily be found along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia, with its significant population inhabiting islands such as Robben Island and Dassen Island. While they can be observed year-round, they are mostly visible during their breeding season from March to May.
African Penguins do not engage in extensive migrations like some other species of seabirds and will instead remain in their habitats along the coastlines of Africa. These spaces are their breeding and feeding grounds and that is where they want to remain year-round, but on the odd occasion they may travel short distances to forage for food.
Breeding and Gestation
During mating season, the male African Penguin attracts the female by using various displays and behaviours. These behaviours include bowing movements, head-swinging, and vocalizations. Each of these displays are aimed at impressing the females and reinforcing pair bonds. These penguins form monogamous pairs and will often return to the same breeding site year after year.
Two weeks after mating, the female will lay an egg, which is relatively large compared to the size of the female. Both parents will take turns incubating the egg to keep it warm and safe. After an incubation period of around 38 to 42 days, the egg will hatch. The newborn chick will be quite small, measuring around 10 centimeters in length and only weighing 70 to 100 grams.
Feeding Habits
African Penguins are very adept hunters and employs several techniques to capture their prey. They are agile swimmers, using their flipper-like wings to propel themselves swiftly through the water. Their streamlined bodies and webbed feet allow them to manoeuvre with precision and enables them to chase and catch fast-moving prey. They primarily hunt in shallow, coastal waters and will dive to depths of up to 30 meters or more in order to get their prey. They will use their speed and agility to dart after individual fish or herd a group into a tight ball. The African Penguin hunts with a group to increase hunting success. These seabirds primarily feed on fish such as anchovies and sardines, as well as squid and crustaceans.
Common Habits
In addition to their distinctive vocalizations, African Penguins are known for their social behaviour both on land and at sea. They form large colonies called rookeries, where they gather in groups for breeding and communal protection. During their breeding season, they can be seen constructing nests and protecting their eggs. Another common habit is for these birds to molt, or engage in thermoregulation where they spread their flippers and lift their feet to release excess heat, or huddle together in groups to conserve warmth. These birds are highly vigilant against predators such as sharks, seals, and land-based predators like mongoose. They could exhibit defensive behaviours such as vocalizing loudly, flapping their flippers, or even biting to protect themselves, their nests, and their young.
Conservation Status
Unfortunately, the African Penguin is currently classified as ‘Endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. This is because of various threats such as overfishing of their prey, habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. They also face several predators that threaten their population both on land and in the water. In the water, the main predators include sharks, especially the Great White Shark, and Cape Fur Seals. On land, they are vulnerable to predation by terrestrial predators such as mongooses, which may raid their nests for eggs or young chicks.
The current population of African Penguins in the wild has declined significantly over the past century. At the start of the 20th century, there it was estimated that there were around 1 million, but this number has drastically dropped. The latest estimates say that there are now only 50, 000 breeding pairs left in the wild.
