There’s more than cuteness overload when it comes to the National Aviary’s flock of African penguins.

This critically endangered species, expected to be extinct in a decade, is attracting attention – and help – in its fight for survival in the wild.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature uplisted the African penguin from endangered to critically endangered last year, warning that the bird has an “extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.”

Currently, there are fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs in South Africa and Namibia. The birds have lost 97% of their historic population.

A positive development earlier this year limits some fishing close to the penguin colonies.

The Aviary is heading an international effort to assist the coastal birds with breeding by providing and placing nest boxes along the Namibian coast.

Trying to reverse the prospect of extinction, international groups include the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Saving Animals From Extinction program for African penguins.

“Given that most penguins are declining worldwide, this species is declining more rapidly than the others. It’s an iconic and beloved species and the only penguin species in Africa,” said Kurt Hundgen, the National Aviary’s senior director of animal care and conservation programs.

Penguins are a cold-water species, but do not always need to be in a cold place. Although the African coast has a warm climate, the penguins swim in cold water, noted Dr. Patty McGill, the Aviary’s senior conservation scientist who manages the Aviary’s and other AZA efforts to help the African penguins in the wild.

Overfishing of its favorite prey – sardines and anchovies – numerous oil spills and other pressures have almost choked out the wild penguins in Africa.

The harvest of guano (seabird droppings) for fertilizer, although no longer practiced, impacted nesting.

The dapper birds used to nest in guano burrows where penguin chicks lived in a cooler environment. With much of the guano gone, combined with erosion and other changes to their coastal island habitats, many penguins nest in the open, where it’s too hot for the chicks and leaves them more exposed to predators, McGill said.

That’s why a nesting box program has already taken off in South Africa, and the Aviary is concentrating efforts for the same results in Namibia.

In South Africa, about 2,000 artificial nests have been installed.

Penguins are occupying over 90% of the nest boxes in South Africa, said Chris Gaus, the Aviary’s assistant manager of animal care and co-leader of AZA’s Species Survival Plan for African penguins.

The Aviary became involved in penguin nest boxes almost a decade ago during a workshop in South Africa to understand nesting issues. Last week, officials from other AZA zoos visited the Aviary to discuss their plans to help wild African penguins.

The North Side nonprofit found funding for 200 nest boxes for Namibia last fall. About 100 have been deployed, with the second round expected this fall. The Aviary is working on securing funding for an additional 200 boxes. The birds have already begun to nest in the new boxes.

“We’ve been collecting environmental data comparing temp and humidity inside and outside the nesting boxes, McGill said.

The box’s two-layer shell keeps the chicks from overheating, she said.

“The nest box project is important for efforts first to stabilize the population, to help the existing wild birds out there.”

The Aviary is working closely on the project with the Dallas Zoo.

“To see real population increases, we will need a combination of shorter-term projects and to deal with larger long-term issues,” McGill said.

At this point, there are no plans to release penguins from AZA facilities to augment the wild populations, as the objective now is to stop the precipitous decline of the birds.

However, penguins in human care are indirectly helping their wild brethren.

They have been in AZA zoos and aquariums for well over 30 years, McGill said. Currently, there are about 1,200 African penguins in AZA-affiliated institutions, mainly in the United States, with 53 of those zoos participating in the birds’ survival plan.

At any one time, the Aviary’s colony included a dozen or more birds.

“We have good genetic diversity and longevity of the penguins. There’s an extremely successful population in human care,” McGill said.

The Aviary and zoos have stud books much like the ones breeders have for horses, she noted.

“It’s like a computerized dating service for penguins. We know what family lines are most represented and those less represented, and strategically we want to maximize genetic diversity.” 

With more genetic diversity, a species can survive the impacts of diseases and other calamities.

U.S. zoos are transferring their research and best practices to penguin rehab facilities in Africa through AZA’s SSP program.

“Having a population in human care allows us to be more effective in the work in Africa,” McGill said.

The Aviary and other AZA zoos provide their research and care practices to aid bird rehab facilities in South Africa and Namibia.

For example, problems with molting – in the wild, the birds stay on shore for two weeks, unable to fly as they quickly lose their feathers and regrow new ones. They cannot safely swim and hunt until their new feathers grow in.

Although molting issues have historically not been an issue in wild penguins, reports of dysfunctional molting have been coming in recently.

“Knowing what we know from the population in human care, we can help with wild birds,” McGill said.

“As the population declines, every animal we can help is a good thing.”

First Published: July 28, 2025, 4:00 a.m.
Updated: July 29, 2025, 1:37 p.m.