The African penguin population in Algoa Bay has plummeted by at least 30% in the last four years — and that is bad news all round, penguin specialist researcher Dr Lorien Pichegru said yesterday.
The species is already officially classified as endangered, with its population having dropped 70% since 2004.
About half the remaining 15,000-odd breeding pairs across the bird’s global range, from Namibia to the western section of the Eastern Cape coast, occur in Algoa Bay, and St Croix Island is still home to the single biggest colony, she said.
“But while the numbers on Bird Island have remained stable, the numbers on St Croix are declining fast, from 7,500 to 4,500 breeding pairs — so 30-40% down in the past four years.”
The numbers, collated during annual census surveys undertaken in partnership with SANParks and the department of environment, forestry and fisheries, were quite clear and extremely worrying, she said.
“Even if you don’t love penguins, it should be a concern, because seabirds like penguins show us what is going on down below the surface of the ocean where we cannot easily see.
“What happens to the penguins is happening to the fish is happening to the fishermen and in the end will happen to all of us who rely on the oceans for food, tourism and a multitude of other reasons.”
There was likely a combination of reasons for the decline, she said.
“Some of the possible factors include that there is insufficient food which in turn could relate to climate change and fishing.
“Other possible factors include increased seismic survey activity and predation by seals who eat penguins when there are not enough fish.
“It could also be due an increase in shipping traffic in our bay related to offshore bunkering, as well as to the recent oil spills.
“It could also include an increased pollution load coming down our rivers.”
Pichegru said her assessment of the drop off in penguin numbers on St Croix correlated with an increase in the number of carcasses she had been finding during her beach surveys east of the Sundays River over the past six years.
African penguin population plummets
Image: FREDLIN ADRIAAN
The African penguin population in Algoa Bay has plummeted by at least 30% in the last four years — and that is bad news all round, penguin specialist researcher Dr Lorien Pichegru said yesterday.
The species is already officially classified as endangered, with its population having dropped 70% since 2004.
About half the remaining 15,000-odd breeding pairs across the bird’s global range, from Namibia to the western section of the Eastern Cape coast, occur in Algoa Bay, and St Croix Island is still home to the single biggest colony, she said.
“But while the numbers on Bird Island have remained stable, the numbers on St Croix are declining fast, from 7,500 to 4,500 breeding pairs — so 30-40% down in the past four years.”
The numbers, collated during annual census surveys undertaken in partnership with SANParks and the department of environment, forestry and fisheries, were quite clear and extremely worrying, she said.
“Even if you don’t love penguins, it should be a concern, because seabirds like penguins show us what is going on down below the surface of the ocean where we cannot easily see.
“What happens to the penguins is happening to the fish is happening to the fishermen and in the end will happen to all of us who rely on the oceans for food, tourism and a multitude of other reasons.”
There was likely a combination of reasons for the decline, she said.
“Some of the possible factors include that there is insufficient food which in turn could relate to climate change and fishing.
“Other possible factors include increased seismic survey activity and predation by seals who eat penguins when there are not enough fish.
“It could also be due an increase in shipping traffic in our bay related to offshore bunkering, as well as to the recent oil spills.
“It could also include an increased pollution load coming down our rivers.”
Pichegru said her assessment of the drop off in penguin numbers on St Croix correlated with an increase in the number of carcasses she had been finding during her beach surveys east of the Sundays River over the past six years.
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