Tulsa Zoo is encouraging action after the International Union for Conservation of Nature moved African penguins from endangered to critically endangered, meaning they are nearing extinction. African penguins have lost 97 percent of their population and, at the current rate of decline, will be extinct in the wild by 2035.
African Penguins, known for their distinctive black-and-white tuxedo-patterned feathers, are well known globally. They are the first of 18 penguin species globally to meet the criteria for the critically endangered classification.
“This status change should be a wakeup call to the world,” said Tulsa Zoo Zoological Curator of Birds and WildLIFE Trek Beau Parks. “If we don’t do something, we’re going to lose these incredible birds.”
The Tulsa Zoo is home to a colony of 23 African penguins. The zoo has supported The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds for more than 10 years. SANCCOB focuses primarily on African Penguins as a flagship species, aiding in rehabilitation, chick rearing, oil spill response procedures and breeding programs.
“African penguins have been endangered since 2010,” said Tulsa Zoo Bird Keeper Seana Flossic. “Fourteen years is a very quick decline and indicates how dire the situation is. Our conservation partners have reported oiled penguins, internal obstructions due to plastic ingestion, emaciation due to overfishing as well as habitat loss.”
Flossic and Parks have both been to South Africa and worked with African penguins in the wild and Flossic manages the Regional Studbook for AZA’s African Penguin Species Survival Plan.
“Working with these birds each day, I have an enormous amount of love and admiration for the species,” said Flossic. “Seeing them in the wild was one of the most overwhelmingly beautiful experiences of my life. Knowing they may be gone in just over ten years breaks my heart. I hope we can course correct to preserve these African penguin colonies before it’s too late.”
African penguins face multiple threats, with unsustainable fishing practices being one of the most severe.
“I would encourage the public to financially support legitimate conservation and rehabilitation organizations like SANCCOB or visit partners, such as the Tulsa Zoo, to learn more about these penguins and the struggles they face,” said Flossic. “The more people know, the more they care. That leads to smarter decisions, like choosing sustainable seafood, to help ensure African penguins are around for generations to come.”
To date, the IUCN Red List includes 163,040 species. Overall, 45,321 of these species are threatened with extinction.
