Community‑rooted, empathy‑driven action for African penguins on the brink #NotBy2035
| Today, January 17, 2026, marks a historic turning point for our blue planet as the BBNJ Agreement (the High Seas Treaty) officially enters into force after 20 years of negotiations. For the first time, legally binding rules protect marine biodiversity on the high seas beyond national borders, which is half of our planet. While the … Read more |
| We asked our supporters to complete a short survey. Our complete analysis (including a gap analysis) is very specific and spans several pages. Here’s a snapshot of what our supporters told us. 💛 1. What They Care About Most 📣 2. What They Want More Of 🧭 3. What Makes Giving Fulfilling 🐧 4. Why … Read more |
| On Wednesday 12 November, it was time for another 12 African penguin chicks and one adult to be released back on Dyer Island, their home colony. These little ones had been removed from the island by conservation partners, CapeNature and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust/APSS teams, because their parents were moulting and unable to care … Read more |
| In September, a heartbreaking scene unfolded in Simon’s Town: ten critically endangered African penguins were found dead after being stung by honeybees. These birds, beloved residents of the famous Boulders Beach colony, are so vulnerable that even a single sting can be fatal. A swarm? Catastrophic. But here’s the twist: this isn’t nature at war. … Read more |
| The Daily Maverick article titled “Minister Dion George’s African Penguin Lifeline a Slap in the Face to Conservation Experts” exposes deep frustration among conservationists over a recent announcement by South Africa’s Environment Minister Dion George. The minister used an event held on the SA Agulhas II research vessel on 22 August 2025 to sign new … Read more |
| 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for regulations to give critically endangered African penguins a fighting chance. Earlier this year, the South African government instituted meaningful no-take fishing zones. Now the government is proposing stricter regulations for ship-to-ship fuel transfers, a source of oil and noise that threatens fragile marine ecosystems. Ship-to-ship … Read more |
| As of today, May 16, 2025, 55 websites carried stories with headlines such as: Penguin blamed for helicopter crash in revenge for Trump tariffs…?! How a penguin in a box caused a helicopter to crash in South Africa Helicopter crash in South Africa blamed on ‘unsecured’ penguin Penguin in passenger seat sent helicopter crashing into … Read more |
| What if we reframe conservation as an economic benefit, rather than an obstacle? If the African penguin were to become extinct in the wild, South Africa’s brand reputation as an environmentally healthy destination, famed for its natural assets, would suffer according to a study commissioned by The Endangered Wildlife Trust and the Department of Forestry, … Read more |
| We don’t need to be Catholics to grieve the loss of His Holiness Pope Francis. As the first pontiff in history to take a public stance on combating climate change, he was a strong advocate for climate action and a friend to climate activists. Photo by Jeffrey Bruno/Creative Commons Laudato Si’ In Laudato Si’, Pope … Read more |
| The South African Constitution requires the government to protect endangered species from extinction. In theory, that’s a forward-thinking attitude. In practice, it is not easy to hold the government accountable. After years of deadlock between conservationists and commercial fisheries, South Africa has finally taken a decisive step to protect its critically endangered African penguins. An … Read more |