The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)has elevated the bird’s risk of extinction status to “critically endangered, a decision announced on Monday28 October 2024.
There are 18 penguin species globally, and the iconic African Penguin is the first to meet the criteria for this classification – just one rank below the “extinct in the wild” category.The African Penguin has been raised from “endangered” to “critically endangered” because its population is undergoing an extremely rapid decline, mainly due to the encroaching demands on its food source.
Apart from these food shortages, other contributing factors to the decline in the African Penguin population is the historic egg collection and guano harvesting on their breeding islands, oil pollution, increased maritime traffic as well as competition with and predation by Cape fur seal.
