The African Penguin is also known as the Jackass Penguin or the Cape Penguin.
Size – Penguins can reach a height of 50cm and an average body weight of 2.1 – 3.7kg
Characteristics – They have a black back and a white belly with a black chin and face patch separated from the crown by a broad white band.
They have white markings running from the top of the forehead round to under the chin, and from the chin down to the feet. They have red to black bare patches on the chin and in front of the eyes.
Penguins make a sound similar to a donkey’s braying when on land.
Diet – Mainly fish like sardine, maasbanker and anchovy. Squid are also eaten.
When on the hunt for prey, African penguins can reach a top speed of close to 20 km/h.
Breeding patterns – The main breeding season is March to May, with each female laying 1-2 eggs. Male and female pairs return annually to the same nest site. These birds have exceptional swimming and diving capabilities, with maximum diving depth being 300m.
Penguins make their nests in burrows in sand, under overhanging rocks, under bushes, or even in the open. Jackass penguins can breed at any time of the year, usually laying two eggs. Most adult birds feed during the day and the chicks are fed regurgitated food in the late afternoon. The parent birds take turns in guarding the nest site and catching food.
Threat to penguins:
Penguin eggs are collected for human consumption.
Commercial fishing is causing a drastic reduction in the penguin’s food supply.
Oil pollution from tanker ships running to ground is proving a real threat to the survival of penguins.
Although all the islands where African penguins are breading are conservation areas, penguins still have to compete with seals for limited breading ground.
African penguins are a vulnerable species and each September a Penguin Festival is held in Simon’s Town to raise funds for their conservation
Where can they be found?
Jackass or African Penguins are found nowhere in the world except off the coast of southern Africa.
Penguins have lived on Dyer Island since records began. The years of harvesting and egg collection has seen a drastic decrease in their numbers from 40 000 to between 6 000 – 8 000. |
