One of the 15 penguins on WAnimals
Birds · Sphenisciformes · Spheniscidae
African Penguin
Spheniscus demersus
It faces an extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. See full glossary
The African penguin is the only penguin that breeds on the African continent. Its population has fallen by more than 95% since the start of the 20th century: first through the industrial harvesting of guano and eggs, and today through the overfishing of sardine and anchovy in the Benguela current. In 2024 the IUCN raised it to Critically Endangered, and several models point to its functional extinction in the wild within a few decades.
Weight
2.2 kg – 3.7 kg
Size
60 cm – 70 cm
Lifespan
25 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Colony
Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Estimated population
Fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs
Fun facts
- It used to be called the jackass penguin for its bray: its call is a harsh braying practically identical to a donkey's, and a whole colony is disconcerting to anyone hearing it for the first time.
- The pattern of black spots on its breast is unique to each individual, like a fingerprint, and is used to identify birds without ringing them.
- The Boulders Beach colony in Cape Town established itself spontaneously in 1982 and is today one of the few places in the world where the public can watch wild penguins from a boardwalk.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Islands, islets and a few mainland beaches in South Africa and Namibia, in the Benguela current
- Sexual maturity
- 23.9 months
- Gestation / incubation
- 38 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 2 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spheniscus_demersus
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with African Penguin — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
VulnerableMacaroni Penguin
Eudyptes chrysolophus
Least ConcernKing Penguin
Aptenodytes patagonicus
Southern Rockhopper Penguin
Eudyptes chrysocome
Cape Gannet
Morus capensis
African Oystercatcher
Haematopus moquini
Common Myna
Acridotheres tristis
How to help
The african penguin is classified as critically endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 4 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about african penguin.
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