A highlight of our trips to South Africa is spending time with these incredible birds in the wild and visiting the African penguins who live in our partners’ sanctuaries. How do penguins end up living in a sanctuary?
Most of the African penguins brought to our partner sanctuaries in South Africa are rehabilitated and released back into the wild. But for a few too vulnerable to survive alone, a sanctuary becomes home and a second chance. Some find new mates and raise chicks that, once strong enough, are released into the wild. Others waddle into the role of ambassadors, helping humans fall in love with their species.
We’d love to introduce you to some of the remarkable resident African penguins. They’re fast and graceful in the water, a bit clumsy on land, and utterly unforgettable.
Each penguin has a unique story. Happy Feet found love twice. Disci has many physical limitations, but has fathered many African penguin chicks that were released into the wild. Sandy, rescued in 2017, doesn’t let blindness stop her from living a full life. Click an image to discover who’s a towel thief, a nest-building champ, a shark bite survivor, or has become a surprise parent.
