Turtle Back Zoo
What are African Penguins?
African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) are a small species of penguin found in the waters off of southern Africa. They are known for their streamlined bodies, and for flippers which allow them to navigate smoothly in the water. African penguins are found only on the south-western coast of Africa, from Namibia to South Africa and the 24 nearby islands, which are affectionately named the Penguin Islands. Although it is one of 17 species that live in Africa, it is the only penguin species that lives in Africa year round. African penguins feed off the fish around the Namibian shores, including anchovies, sardines, and horse mackerel, and have even been known to eat cephalopods and crustaceans.
What are the threats to the African penguin?
Unfortunately due to human development, ocean pollution, and overfishing, their population has declined 90% in the last century. In 2024, African penguins were listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). African penguins live exclusively in Africa, and without this habitat and human intervention this species will become extinct within the next 10 years.
How are we helping?
For Essex County Turtle Back Zoo and the Zoological Society of New Jersey’s 2025 conservation initiative, we partnered with African Penguin SAFE and Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) in their mission to protect African Penguins. SANCCOB is an organization focused on protecting coastal seabirds, with their flagship species being the African penguin. Their organization works within Africa to protect these animals and their environments, by working with local communities, governments, and industries to regulate overfishing in Namibia, educate the public regarding African penguins, and protect the species. In 2025, for every Zoological Society of New Jersey membership sold, a portion of the proceeds was donated to SANCCOB, and each member received a keychain made from recycled tires and a SeaFood Watch card about sustainable fishing. Through this initiative we were able to provide support to SANCCOB’s wildlife rehabilitation center in Namibia, where they rescue injured African penguins and rehabilitate them for release, as well as take care of birds unfit to be released.