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The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment has highlighted the drastic decline in the number of African penguins along South Africa’s coastline.
In a statement released by the department on Tuesday, it was reported that the number of penguins has decreased from approximately 52 000 pairs in 2004 to just 13 200 pairs in 2019.
This means that if the current population trajectories continue, the endemic African penguin could be extinct within 15 years.
Minister Barbara Creecy set up a joint task team earlier this year from her Department and SANParks to determine management options for the bird that was classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2010 already.
The operation recognised the critical situation and that urgent action is needed to stop further decline. This includes interventions around breeding colonies.
Among the numerous management proposals submitted to Minister Creecy for consideration is that fishing around six penguin colonies, including St Croix and Bird Island in Algoa Bay, Dassen Island, Robben Island and Stoney Point be limited.
These islands are home to about 88% of breeding pairs of African penguins on South Africa’s coastline.
The Department also highlighted several factors which have led to the penguin population decline which include a lack of available food, climate change, disease, shipping and the quality of the breeding habitat.
Meanwhile, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCOBB) in Nelson Mandela Bay says the radical decline in the number of African penguins is concerning.
Sancobb Centre Manager, Margot Collett, reiterated the Department’s findings that several factors are contributing to the decline in the penguin population.
She said that at St Croix Island and Bird Island situated in Algoa Bay, the decline has climbed drastically in recent years with competition between the birds and commercial food fisheries for fish, including sardines and anchovies, identified as one of the leading factors.
Collett said the noise level of heavy shipping to and from the Coega harbour and past oil spills had also contributed to the decline.
She added that Sancobb, as an international body dedicated to seabird rehabilitation, continues with its advocacy work with the government for marine protection.
Collett said the public can contribute to prolonging the lives of these endangered species by supporting the organisation, based at Cape Recife, and also as individuals by not polluting the ocean - especially with plastic.
