Among them, the African penguin stands out—not only for its distinctive braying call, but also for its conservation status. Once thriving on the shores of South Africa, African penguins are now critically endangered. According to a recent assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in July 2024, only 1,200 pairs of penguins are estimated to survive in Namibia and 8,750 pairs in South Africa. By 2035, African penguins could be extinct in the wild. In the last century, African penguins have lost 97 percent of their population.
The Cincinnati Zoo, SANCCOB, and others will continue to fight for the future of this iconic species. We must remain hopeful that their momentum can be reversed.
