In South Africa, crowds of tourists come to see one particular animal, hoping for a close-up glimpse. Everywhere you look, this animal is on t-shirts, restaurant signs, street crossings, and all kinds of souvenirs. Is it the mighty lion? The regal leopard? No, actually, it is the small and unassuming African penguin.
The African penguins of South Africa (Spheniscus demersus) are an iconic flagship species, adored by both locals and tourists alike. The humble African penguin stands, if not tall (as adult penguins are only 60–70 cm high), at least proudly among the illustrious ranks of the “Marine Big Five” along with the iconic great white shark, the southern right whale, the bottlenose dolphin, and the Cape fur seal. And although these penguins are well-loved by all, the species faces an existential threat. Critically endangered, they face extinction from commercial fishing in South Africa. That’s the bad news. The good news is that there is a new plan to protect them and their habitat, so that they do not go from ‘endangered’ to ‘extinct.’
The Problem for African Penguins
Cape RADD has previously written about dangers to African penguins, as well as advocacy efforts to save them. Since the 1960s, African penguins have lost 97% of their original populations. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an organisation that tracks and monitors species population health. The African penguin is the first penguin species in the world that the IUCN has classified as critically endangered. As of the last IUCN assessment in July 2024, African penguins could become functionally extinct in ten years if nothing changes.
The main danger to the African penguin is actually quite simple. They don’t have enough food. They eat fish like anchovies and sardines, which are also caught in the commercial fishing industry. In a competition with human industry, these penguins are losing, and losing badly. No-fishing zones already exist around six penguin habitats, accounting for 76% of the world’s African penguins. These are meant to protect their access to food.
BirdLife South Africa and SANCCOB (The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) are two environmental organisations working to save the African penguins. They negotiated with the fishing industry for six years to better protect penguin food sources. With no success, they decided to involve the courts. In March 2024, they demanded the government fulfil its legal obligations to protect African penguins. And the good news is, the government agreed.
The fishing industry, the courts, and the environmental organisations all came to a new agreement. The court expanded six “no-take zones” around penguin habitats within Marine Protected Areas. No-take zones prohibit any and all fishing activities.
What are Marine Protected Areas?
The threats to marine species and ecosystems across the South African coastlines led to the establishment of Marine Protected Areas, which Cape RADD has previously written about:
“The IUCN definition of an MPA is ‘A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.’
MPA’s are put in place as conservation efforts of marine ecosystems which are significant to biodiversity or specific species of interest which need protection and to manage the sustainability of the fisheries stocks.
South African MPA’s are declared by the government but the day to day management of these areas are managed by authorities such as Cape Nature, South African National Parks (SAN Parks), the City of Cape Town (CoCT), Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA), KZN Wildlife and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM).
Marine protected areas not only control areas of interest to create sustainable resources, but if done effectively can benefit local communities whilst creating environmental, economic and social benefits to everyone involved.”
The Future for African penguins
On March 18, 2025, three days before the court hearing between fishing industry representatives and the penguin conservation organizations, they came to a settlement. This was a historical agreement between all parties, legally approved by the court. The no-take zones around the penguin habitats will be updated and expanded based on scientific recommendations. They will last for 10 years. After six years, they will be up for scientific review. These no-fishing closures will be in place year-round. And importantly, that means closed for the full fishing season. This is a great victory for penguin conservation and a lifeline for the species. But, it is not the end of the fight to save them.
Nicky Stander, Head of Conservation at SANCCOB, says: “Today’s order is a significant step forward in our fight to save the African Penguin from extinction. The agreement which has been made an order of court serves as a testament to the power of collective action and the dedication of the seabird scientists whose expertise is integral to the work of SANCCOB, BirdLife South Africa and the DFFE. We are immensely grateful for the widespread support from individuals and organisations that share our commitment to preserving biodiversity. However, while we celebrate today’s success, we remain acutely aware that our journey is far from over. The threats facing the African Penguin are complex and ongoing – and the order itself requires monitoring, enforcement and continued cooperation from Industry and the government processes which monitor and allocate sardine and anchovy populations for commercial purposes. We must continue to advocate on the basis of our scientific research, and implement effective conservation strategies to ensure that African Penguins will thrive in the future. Our work continues, and we count the continued support and engagement of the community to face the challenges ahead.”
The Importance of Penguins
With conservation work, balancing human interests and species protection is complicated. There is compromise and give-and-take. But the penguins are not only an important flagship species for the Western Cape and False Bay, they are an important symbol of South Africa itself. A symbol of the country’s reputation for conserving its unique wildlife. And for any concerns about how conservation impacts fishing, we should remember that “penguins mean money.” The penguins are a huge economic boost for the region and country. The penguins are estimated to be worth between 2 and 4.5 billion Rand. This includes thousands of jobs, tourism, property benefits, education, and media related to the seabirds.
Tourists as well as locals that are motivated to save penguins will also be motivated to protect the rest of False Bay. Penguins, shysharks, nudibranchs, kelp forests: protecting one entails protecting all. Like Cape RADD’s Citizen Science initiative, which involves everyday people to advance ocean science and foster a love for the ocean, protecting the penguins doesn’t depend on just a few people or organisations. It is up to everyone to help the African penguins, and the rest of False Bay, in any way that they can. Volunteer, donate, raise awareness, and stay informed! There are many ways a penguin protector and to protect False Bay.
