African Penguin
The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) breeds on islands and coasts of South Africa and Namibia. It is also called the jackass penguin because of its donkey-like braying call, and it has declined steeply.
The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) breeds on islands and coasts of South Africa and Namibia. It is also called the jackass penguin because of its donkey-like braying call, and it has declined steeply.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open African Penguin in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
From Millions to Thousands
There may have been about a million pairs in the early 1900s. Egg collecting for food and the removal of guano (droppings) used for fertilizer, which they use to dig burrows, were early causes, and today the loss of sardines and anchovies to commercial fishing is key. Fewer than 10,000 pairs now remain.
Pink Glands
The pink skin above the eyes helps to cool the bird in warm climates by increasing blood flow. They nest in burrows or under bushes to avoid the sun.
Protecting Their Food
Closing fishing around key breeding islands has been tested to help the birds find food. See King Penguin.
African Penguin at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Spheniscus demersus |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Sphenisciformes |
| Family | Spheniscidae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia: Aves (Birds) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Small black-and-white seabird of South African beaches with a black chest band, pink skin above the eyes for shedding heat, and a donkey-like braying call; nests in burrows. |
| IUCN Red List status | Critically Endangered (CR), assessed 2024 |
| Range | Southern Africa |
| Call | Braying |
See Also
- King Penguin — a sub-Antarctic penguin
- Atlantic Salmon — another species affected by fisheries