Please note: The penguins are not on exhibit due to construction on the Aquarium's Dolphin Expansion. They will be visible on the Behind the Scenes Tours towards the end of 2008 and are expected to move back on exhibit in early 2009.

The African penguin is found on the southernmost coast of Africa. It breeds on 24 islands offshore between Namibia and Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The climate in this area is warmer than that of the Antarctic penguins or those found near the South Pole.

The African penguin eats from the sea. Its diet consists of many marine species of fish, crustaceans, squid and a species of polychaete. Animals that have been known to prey upon African penguins are South African fur seals, sharks, octopuses, Dominican gulls, skuas and sacred ibis.

Unlike other birds, the African penguin does not fly through the air. Its bones are solid to increase body weight and provide ballast when diving. Its lungs are protected from increased water pressure by air sacs that compress as the birds dive. It can swim up to fifteen miles per hour. There are approximately 120,000 African penguins left in the wild. The biggest threats to the African penguin are oil spills, over fishing by people and predation from seals and straw-necked ibis. It is a listed endangered species on the IUCN Red list.

You can find the African penguins in the Cold Water Quest gallery in the Aquarium.

• The penguins at the Aquarium wear beaded bracelets to differentiate between them. Females wear pink and males sport blue.
• It is near-sighted on land but has great vision underwater.
• These birds pair-bond for life.
• The wings of this flightless bird are flippers modified for underwater use.
• African penguins may have up to 300 feathers per square inch on their body.

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