African Penguinケープペンギン（アフリカペンギン）

Spheniscus demersusCR— Critically Endangered

The African penguin is the only penguin species that breeds on the African continent, found exclusively along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia. It hunts small schooling fish such as sardines and anchovies at sea and returns faithfully to the same breeding colonies each year, where its loud, donkey-like call has earned it the nickname "jackass penguin." Once numbering over a million pairs, the species has declined roughly 95 percent since pre-industrial times and is now listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

African Penguin (reference photo)
Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Sphenisciformes / Spheniscidae Source
Size
Body length about 60–70 cm
Weight
About 2.2–3.5 kg
Lifespan
Wild: about 10–25 years / captive: up to about 34 years
Diet
Piscivore Feeds mainly on fish such as sardines, Cape horse mackerel, and anchovies, as well as squid and crustaceans; eats about 540 g a day, rising to over 1 kg when raising chicks
Activity
Strongly site-faithful, returning to the same colony each breeding season
Distribution
The African penguin is confined to the coasts of South Africa and Namibia, breeding on 24 islands and a few mainland sites between the two countries, and is the only penguin species that breeds in Africa. Source
Sources
ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

  • It is nicknamed the "jackass penguin" for its loud, donkey-like bray. Source
  • Chicks are guarded by both parents for the first 40 days after hatching. Source
  • During the 2000 MV Treasure oil spill, more than 91 percent of rescued penguins were successfully rehabilitated and released, in one of the largest wildlife rescue efforts in history. Source

Where to See This Species

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 9

Sunshine AquariumTokyoFrom Ikebukuro Station (Exit 35), walk along Sunshine 60 Street.

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Kyoto AquariumKyotoAbout a 15-minute walk from the central exit of JR Kyoto Station.

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KOBE ANIMAL KINGDOMHyogoRight by Keisan Kagaku Center Station (Kobe Animal Kingdom / Fugaku-mae) on the Port Liner.

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Adventure WorldWakayamaOpened in 1978

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SHIKOKU AQUARIUMKagawa4 Hama-Ichibancho, Utazu, Ayauta District, Kagawa (inside Utazu Rinkai Park).

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Matsue Vogel ParkShimaneOpened in 2001

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SENDAI UMINO-MORI AQUARIUMMiyagiOpened in 2015

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Nagasakipengin SuizokukanNagasakiOpened in 2001

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Ueno ZooTokyoOpened in 1882

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Former facilities

North Safari SapporoHokkaidoOpened in 2005

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Closed: 2025-09-30 Official Site

Shima MarinelandMieOpened in 1970

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Closed: 2021-03-31 Official Site

Latest news

6

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Source links to official sites, official YouTube channels, and news aggregators such as Zoo Ring. Visit the publisher for the full item.

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered (CR)

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org www.iucnredlist.org

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FAQ

Why is the African penguin called the jackass penguin?
It gets this nickname from its loud, braying call, which resembles the sound made by a donkey. Source
Where do African penguins live?
They are found only along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia, breeding on 24 islands and a few mainland colonies between the two countries, making them the only penguin species that breeds in Africa. Source
Why are African penguins critically endangered?
Their population has fallen roughly 95 percent since pre-industrial times due to overfishing of their prey, oil spills, and other pressures, with fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs left and projections warning of functional extinction by 2035 without intervention. Source
How many operating facilities are registered here?
Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 9 Source

Books & gear

Source: sunshinecity.jp www.kyoto-aquarium.com www.kobe-oukoku.com www.birdlife.org www.iucnredlist.org