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Reaching out to save the African penguin
Penguin conservation
Penguins on Boulder Beach in Cape Town.
© Chris Marais
Did you know?
African penguins used to be called jackass penguins because of their braying call.
If you squint your eyes only a little, it's easy to see African penguins as knee-high, rather formally dressed little people.
They are endearing creatures, and observing them up close and personal at Boulder's Beach near Cape Town, where a colony of over 3 000 birds are thriving, remains one of life's great joys.
But their numbers have been diminishing for decades. In 2010 the African penguin was listed as Endangered on the Red Data list.
Penguin conservation in South Africa has demanded some innovative thinking. Back in the winter of 2000, a ship carrying 1 300 tons of oil sank near Robben and Dassen islands – sanctuaries critical to the conservation of penguins. It had the makings of a real disaster.
Oiled penguins were rehabilitated by hundreds of volunteers at SANCCOB (the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds). Thousands of unoiled penguins were fenced in to stop them going into the polluted sea. But they couldn't be kept there indefinitely.
A cunning plan was hatched to buy time. More than 20 000 African penguins were taken to Port Elizabeth and they were released into the sea, nearly 1 000 km away from their traditional home.
Three penguins had transmitters fitted, and the South African public breathlessly followed their progress as they and the others swam back home, giving authorities two weeks' grace to clean up the islands' beaches.
Another heart-warming story is that of the penguin nests. Penguins prefer to nest in burrows or under bushes, protecting their eggs and young from heat and predation.
The Dyer Island Conservation Trust came up with the idea of artificial fibrecrete burrows for penguins. Once installed, penguins move in almost immediately and breed successfully – a real boost for penguin conservation in South Africa.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Simon's Town Tourism Information
Tel: +27 (0) 21 786 8440
Fax: +27 21 786 8459
Email: simonstown@tourismcapetown.co.za
Tel: +27 (0) 21 786 8440
Fax: +27 21 786 8459
Email: simonstown@tourismcapetown.co.za
How to get here
Boulders Beach, one of the best places to view African penguins in the wild, is within easy driving distance from Cape Town, around 30 minutes or so from the city centre. You could also see them at Robben Island (take the ferry) or Betty's Beach, an hour or two along the coast.
Get around
A boardwalk trail along the beach allows you to get up close and personal with the penguins.
What will it cost
Approx R45 per person per day at Boulders Beach.
Length of stay
A few hours is ample time to explore the beach and see the penguins.
What to pack
Sunglasses and sunblock are musts. Don't forget the camera, African penguins are photogenic little beasts.
Where to stay
Try a quaint B&B or guest lodge in nearby Simon's Town, a historical coastal town with plenty to see and do.