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Endgame for the African penguin?

Jürgen SchneiderJuly 19, 2016

It's the only penguin species on the African continent. Once, they counted in the millions. Today, only 20,000 breeding pairs are left. An alliance of environmentalists wants to reverse this downward trend.

https://p.dw.com/p/1JQgV
Image: Jürgen Schneider

South Africa: Helping the African penguin

Project goal: Securing the penguins' survival
Implementation: Supplying nesting aids, care for injured and malnourished birds, rearing orphaned juveniles, research
Financing: Public funds and donations
Project size: 27 colonies along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia

Once, millions of African penguins populated the continent's coastlines. There is only one penguin species in this part of the world. But will it remain? Numbers of the African penguin are down to a mere 20,000 breeding pairs in the wild. Marine pollution and the destruction of breeding areas have dramatically affected them. Overfishing is making their food sources dwindle. But an alliance of environmental nongovernmental organizations and a South African conservation authority are trying to secure the iconic bird's survival.

A film by Jürgen Schneider