BOULDERS BEACH - African penguins

Boulders Beach hosts a colony of African penguins (closely related to Magellanic, Humboldt and Galapagos penguins in South America) which used to be known as jackass penguins because of their distinctive braying, and they’re the only penguins found on the continent. Colonies can be found from southern Namibia all the way around the South African coast to Port Elizabeth, but few places offer as remarkable a viewing point as Boulders Beach. The penguins first came to False Bay in 1983 from Dyer Island, which is near Gansbaai. Back then, there was plenty for them to eat and the colony grew rapidly. Sadly, commercial fishing, marine pollution, and habitat destruction have taken their toll on the colony. In 1910, it was estimated that there were approximately one-and-a-half million African Penguins; a century later, the aquatic bird was classified as an endangered species. By 1982 there were only two breeding pairs remaining. Incredible conservation efforts have grown the Boulders colony to over 3,000 birds in recent years.