African penguin

These birds live by the sea.

They have black and white feathers. The black parts hide them from above. The white parts hide them below.

They eat fish and squid. They dive deep into the water to find food.

These birds make loud noises. Some people call them jackass penguins.

They lay two eggs in the sand. Both parents help take care of the eggs.

The African penguin lives in the waters of southern Africa.

It is the only penguin found in the Old World. These birds cannot fly. Instead, they have stiff, flat wings called flippers. These flippers help them swim well.

African penguins have a very special look. They have black backs and white bellies. This is called countershading. The black back hides them from predators looking down from above. The white belly hides them from predators looking up from below.

They also have pink skin above their eyes. This skin helps them stay cool. When they get hot, more blood flows to the skin. This makes the pink color look brighter.

These penguins are great divers. They dive deep to find fish and squid.

They also make loud noises. Because of this, some people call them jackass penguins.

Today, these penguins are in trouble. Their numbers have dropped a lot. They are now called critically endangered. This means they are at high risk of disappearing. They face threats like overfishing and climate change.

People are working hard to protect them.

The African penguin is a very special bird found in the waters of southern Africa.

It is the only penguin species that lives in the Old World. These birds cannot fly through the air like other birds. Instead, they have stiff, flat wings that work like flippers for swimming. This helps them live in a marine habitat. They are also known by names like the Cape penguin or the South African penguin.

They are very popular with tourists who come to see them.

These penguins have a clever way of staying safe while they swim.

Their bodies use something called countershading. This means they have black backs and white underparts. The black color blends in with the dark water when seen from above. The white color makes them hard to see from below. They also have pink patches of skin above their eyes. These are actually sweat glands that help them stay cool. When the bird gets hot, more blood flows to these glands. This makes the pink color look even brighter.

People have been studying these birds for a long time.

In 1747, a naturalist named George Edwards described them in a book. He called them "The Black-Footed Penguins." Later, in 1758, Carl Linnaeus gave them a scientific name. He first put them in a group called Diomedea. Later, a zoologist named Mathurin Jacques Brisson created the group Spheniscus. This name comes from an ancient Greek word meaning "wedge." It describes their thin, wedge-shaped flippers.

African penguins live along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia.

They live in colonies on 24 different islands. Some colonies are also on the mainland, like Boulders Beach. These penguins are great divers that hunt for fish and squid. They usually dive to an average depth of 60 meters. Their dives can last about 69 seconds.

They also make very loud, braying noises. Because of this, some people call them jackass penguins.

Sadly, these penguins are in big trouble today.

There were about 4 million of them in the early 1800s. Now, they are called critically endangered. This means they are at high risk of disappearing forever. Their numbers have dropped by 95% since pre-industrial times. They face hard jobs like overfishing and climate change. In 2010, there were only about 55,000 penguins left. People are working hard to create no-fishing zones to help them survive.

The African penguin, scientifically known as Spheniscus demersus, is a unique seabird. It is the only penguin species found in the Old World. These birds live in the marine habitats of southern African waters. They are flightless birds with streamlined bodies. Their wings are stiff and flattened into flippers for efficient swimming.

This species is also called the Cape penguin or the South African penguin. Because of their loud, donkey-like braying, they are sometimes called jackass penguins. They are highly charismatic animals and are very popular with tourists.

African penguins have several specialized biological adaptations. They use a method called countershading for protection. Their upper parts are black to blend with dark water from above. Their white underparts make them hard to see from below.

They also have supraorbital salt glands located above their eyes. These glands allow them to excrete excess salt from seawater. This helps them maintain osmotic balance while they forage at sea. Additionally, they have pink patches of skin above their eyes. These are actually sweat glands used for cooling. As temperatures rise, increased blood flow makes these glands appear pinker.

Each individual penguin has a unique appearance. They have a black facial mask and a thick black band on their chest. This band often looks like an upside-down horseshoe. The black spots on their white underparts are unique to each bird. These patterns are like human fingerprints.

There is also slight sexual dimorphism in the species. This means males are slightly larger than females and have longer beaks. Juveniles look different from adults. They have dark upperparts that range from greyish-blue to brown. Their pale underparts lack the distinct spots and the black band.

Naturalists have studied these birds for centuries. In 1747, George Edwards described them in his book, *A Natural History of Uncommon Birds*. He used the name "The Black-Footed Penguins." In 1758, Carl Linnaeus placed them in the genus *Diomedea*. Later, Mathurin Jacques Brisson introduced the genus *Spheniscus* in 1760. This name comes from the Ancient Greek word for "wedge." It refers to their thin, wedge-shaped flippers. The specific name *demersus* is Latin for "plunging." This describes their habit of sinking into the water.

These penguins are pursuit divers that forage in the open sea. They eat fish like sardines, anchovies, and mackerels. They also eat squid and small crustaceans like krill.

A penguin may eat up to 10% of its body weight in prey daily. This can increase to 25% when raising older chicks. They perform impressive dives to find food. Most dives reach an average depth of 60 meters. These dives usually last about 69 seconds. However, some dives have reached a depth of 100 meters and lasted 275 seconds.

African penguins are monogamous and breed in large colonies. They nest in burrows made in guano or in sand under bushes.

A pair lays a clutch of two eggs. Both parents share the work of incubation for about 40 days. After hatching, one parent guards the chicks for a month. The chicks then join a group called a crèche.

When it is time to moult, penguins must fast for about three weeks. Their new feathers are not waterproof yet. During this time, they can lose half of their body weight.

The population of African penguins has declined drastically. In the early 19th century, there were roughly 4 million birds. Since pre-industrial times, the population has dropped by 95%. In 2010, the total population was estimated at only 55,000. By 2023, the breeding population fell below 10,000 pairs.

They are now classified as critically endangered. Threats include habitat loss, climate change, and overfishing. To help them, the South African government recently agreed to establish no-fishing zones. These zones will protect six key breeding areas to help the species survive.