There are some penguins that permanently live at the SANCOBB, which is a Seabird Rehabilitation Centre I visited in Cape Town, but these are only the injured ones. In the wild, they love the sandy and rocky beaches! They enjoy nesting in hidden bushes around the beaches. I provided some pictures along with this Field Note to show you where they live.
The African penguin uses their environment to their advantage a lot! A good example is the use of all the boulders and bushes found around the beaches. The penguins will use these to either take shelter or lay their eggs. By using these hidden spots, they can actually protect their eggs better from any scary predators trying to get to their eggs, while also protecting themselves!
We are definitely worried about the African penguin! This penguin is now seen as endangered because of the destruction of beaches by humans. Many things can harm this animal such as pollution including oil spills and trash left on the beaches. This is one of the only species of penguin found in warmer environments and needs our help. Be sure to always pick up your trash or even better, try and recycle! Only we can help save these and many other animals!
