We saw LOTS of penguins on our trip to South Africa. They are cute and adorable and (sadly) endangered as a species. Come with us and see several locations in The Western Cape where you can get up close and personal with African penguins.

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00:00 intro
00:37 Boulder's Beach
02:21 Betty's Bay
03:18 African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary

Where on earth can you see wild penguins—- in a temperate, Mediterranean climate? Why, it’s South Africa, of course!

On our recent trip to South Africa, we saw penguins in three different spots.

The first was Boulders Beach, a residential area popular with tourists ever since a colony of penguins settled here in 1982.

The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), also known as Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters.

Once extremely numerous, the African penguin is declining rapidly due to a combination of several threats and is now classified as endangered.

In 2010, the total African penguin population was estimated at 55,000. At the rate of decline seen from 2000 to 2010, the African penguin is expected to be extinct in the wild by 2026. That's what Wikipedia says, but it's also based on old data. The latest data indicates this: With only about 10,000 breeding pairs left, the endangered African penguin is at risk of extinction by 2035.

Like all penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat.

Adults weigh an average of 2.2–3.5 kg (4.9–7.7 lb) and are 60–70 cm (24–28 in) tall.

The species has distinctive pink patches of skin above the eyes and a black facial mask.

The African penguin is a pursuit diver and feeds primarily on fish and squid.

It is a charismatic species and is popular with tourists.
Other vernacular names of the species include black-footed penguin and jackass penguin, due to the species' loud, donkey-like noise[3] (although several related species of South American penguins produce the same sound).

Another popular spot to see there penguins is Betty’s Bay. There was a whaling station here operating up until the 1930’s, and when it closed, penguins started breeding here.

Lastly, we also saw a few penguins the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary near Gansbaai.

Opened in 2015, this is a custom-designed marine bird rehabilitation center.

They provide temporary care to diseased, displaced, injured, oiled and abandoned marine birds with special focus on the endangered African penguin.

Please post any comments or questions below. Thanks for watching and —-bon voyage!

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