FAQs
Yes! African penguins are a “warm weather” penguin species, and they are the only penguin species native to the African continent.
Of the eightteen types of penguins: four are true Antarctic penguins, and 14 can be found in temperate zones. Eight species are almost exclusively temperate/warm weather (African, Yellow-eyed, Magellanic, Galapagos, Humboldt, Little, Fjordland, and Snares).
They are a valuable indicator species, meaning, biologists study them to infer conditions about their ocean habitat. Unfortunately, their population has dropped by 99% since the 1800’s due to human-related causes.
Based on the most recent census in 2023 there are dramatically less than 25,000 African penguins left in the wild today. That’s fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs. Down from more than 4 million birds approximately a century ago this means less than 1% of the population remains and African penguins are in serious peril.
Destruction of nesting habitat, egg harvesting, oil spills, climate change, and overfishing have been the primary causes of African penguin population decline.
Historically, these penguins would protect themselves and their chicks from sun and predators by burrowing in guano. The guano was unsustainably harvested leaving the penguins with no options to safely nest.
It is nutrient-rich poop produced by various seabirds and bats. Beginning in the 1800s and continuing through the mid 1900s it was harvested by humans and sold world-wide for use as a fertilizer.
These penguins nest in very specific locations near their food which are small fish like sardines and anchovies. Island habitats also provide protection from many predators that live on the mainland.
Unfortunately, no. It took seabirds thousands of years to deposit enough guano for burrowing to take place. Drastic declines in seabird populations has slowed the rate of accumulation to a point that makes the possibility of natural guano burrows remote.
Artificial nests will need to be the solution for the foreseeable future.
Artificial nests allow African penguins a safe place to incubate eggs, hatch, and raise their chicks.
Up to 5,000 nests may be needed. The goal is to provide an artificial nest for every breeding pair that needs one.
While these artificial nests are very strong and durable, they will have a 10 - 15 year life-expectancy in the harsh marine environment before needing to be replaced and routine maintenance will be required during that time.
Bird experts from around the world worked together to create the best possible nest design. This artificial nest very closely matches environmental conditions inside an actual guano burrow.
There have been several different artificial nests that have been tried over the last twenty years, most simply did not work and others even made environmental conditions inside the nest worse.
Artificial nests are made of a special geotextile asphalt fabric soaked in a liquid-ceramic blend. These materials allow nests to be durable enough to withstand the elements of a coastal marine environment for years to come and are specifically formulated to control temperature inside the nest.
Yes, and no. Artificial nests are a crucial tool to allow African penguins to increase healthy chick rearing, however, this alone is not enough. Other environmental issues still affect African penguins like overfishing and global climate change. The good news is you can get ideas of how you can help with these other challenges as well by visiting our "Get Involved" page...
The African penguin nest project is a collaboration of many different organizations with a common goal of providing artificial nests to African penguins who need them. All funds raised through this site go to a special conservation account at the non-profit, Dallas Zoo. Funds are overseen and distributed accordingly by program leader and bird expert, Kevin Graham.
They are actually the exact same, but one is outfitted with state-of-the-art electronics that allow scientists to receive real-time data from the nests to monitor the temperature, heat stress index, and humidity. Ideally, 10% of the total nests will have electronics on board for the long-term success of the project.
If you sponsor a nest, 100% of your donation goes directly to the African penguin nest project. If you purchase a plush toy or t-shirt, 50% is donated to the project. (minus credit card processing fees)
Unfortunately, no. Further customization would require more time, and cost-per-nest would go up. This is a critically endangered species that is struggling; we are short on time, and every cent matters.
Bears for Humanity creates the plush toys and t-shirts from G.O.T.S. certified fair trade organic cotton.
G.O.T.S. stands for Global Organic Textile Standards, a rigorous certification that follows the product throughout the entire supply chain - from the farmer's field, to the factory, to the label.
Absolutely. It’s easy to start your own fundraiser for the African penguin nest project with our friends at DonorThreeSixty. We need people like you to help us spread the word about this critically endangered species. Just go to "Shop" page and click on "Start Fundraiser" button in the top right corner of the products listing to get started.
Plush penguins are typically shipped within 3-5 business days following purchase. At the time of your order you will receive a link to download a tax receipt to use for tax deductions if you're eligible.
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