The global population of African penguins has decreased to 31,000 pairs in 2007 according to marine scientist, Professor Rob Crawford from South Africa.

In a latest publication of the Avian Demography Unit of the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Mr. Crawford stated that this worrying trend continues. One of the reasons for the decrease is food shortage. “The main food of African penguins are two species of fish, anchovy and sardines; both have been scarce for 25 years off Namibia” , says Crawford.

On Dyer Island for instance, the number of African Penguins has decreased by about 94 percent since the 1970s, food shortage being one of the inflicting factors.

Over the past decades sardines have moved eastwards making it impossible for the penguins to go after them. Recent studies demonstrated that breeding penguins cannot travel far searching for food; satellite tracking devices show that they can only move 20 kilometers from their colonies. Thus in small numbers, the penguins are more vulnerable and exposed to local factors, including predation and pollution.

As measures to increase the amount of food around breeding colonies, Professor Crawford suggested the creation of ‘no fishing zones’ and the use of chicks produced by penguins in zoos to boost penguin population at key colonies. Similarly preventing oil spills, removing predators and reducing diseases would also help to increase numbers.

The African Penguin is one of the species protected by AEWA and classified as "vulnerable". Because of the current trend some scientists plead for reclassification as "endangered".

For more information please see:

- Avian Demography Unit (ADU) Website

- AEWA Species Information: African Penguin

- AEWA Website Announcement: African Penguins first victims of climate change?