The African penguin is endangered and is undergoing a population decline, as a result of commercial fisheries, oil pollution, and shifts in prey populations.

The African penguin is listed as “Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

This species is classified as Endangered because it is undergoing a very rapid population decline, probably as a result of commercial fisheries and shifts in prey populations. This trend currently shows no sign of reversing, and immediate conservation action is required to prevent further declines.

Sources: (BirdLife International, 2016; Crawford, et al., 2001; Pearce, 2011; Randall and Randall, 1990; Stefoff, 2005)
Image: Joel Herzog