IUCN officially declares African Penguin as “Critically Endangered.” Image: SANCCOB.
(The Post News)- The beloved symbol of South Africa’s coastal ecosystem, the African Penguin, is now a step closer to extinction. The species was officially declared as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as there are less than 10,000 breeding pairs left in the wild.
According to scientists and conservationists, the African Penguin could disappear completely in less than 4 000 years, or around 11 years, without urgent intervention. Reasons behind the penguins’ decrease in population are mainly food security being compromised, which is caused by climate change and competition with commercial fisheries for sardines and anchovies, that being the main diet for the penguins. Despite having established no-take zones around key breeding colonies, these areas have been proven to be insufficient to properly protect the penguins, according to research conducted by seabird scientists.
Nicky Stander, Head of Conservation at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), said that the 97% decline in African Penguin populations is heartbreaking and that they may go extinct in just over ten years, which would affect not only the South African marine ecosystem but also the nation’s economy and ecotourism. Because they are a major indicator of the ocean’s overall ecological health and are adored globally, they cannot wait for change any longer.
CEO of SANCCOB, Natalie Maskell, has expressed deep concern about the matter, taking note that the IUCN uplisting to Critically Endangered means penguins are a step away from becoming extinct in the wild. Maskell continues, stating the SANCCOB is yet to continue to fight for the future of the penguins and that citizens must remain optimistic that their trajectory can be reversed. In the next few months, conservationists will be advocating for an expansion of protected areas and stricter enforcement of no-take zones, hoping that with swift action, the penguins will be saved from the brink of extinction and will continue to thrive as a vibrant part of the country’s ecosystem.
Seabird conservation program manager at BirdLife South Africa, Alistar McInnes, has indicated that the availability of sardine and anchovy is the key driver of the species’ population, and the sustainable management of purse-seine fishing around the last remaining large colonies is a critical intervention to help conserve the species.
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