To an African penguin, poop is not waste.

To an African penguin, poop is not waste.. 🐧. , On the islands and shorelines where African penguins breed, they face tough environmental conditions. For thousands of years, the penguins escaped sun, wind, rain, and predators inside cave-like nests that they constructed from guano , poop from penguins and other seabirds , that coated the ground in thick layers. Soft and absorbent, guano is a perfect nestling material. It is easy to excavate, soaks up rainwater (protecting the nest within from flooding), and creates a cool and safe interior., Coastal Caves: Home for a Penguin , Along the coast of Namibia, researchers have discovered small colonies of African penguins nestling within coastal caves. Inside, the penguins are protected from predators and the environment. Nobody knows how long these African penguin colonies have existed or how many more there may be, in caves well hidden by rocks and pounding waves!, Survival in the Wild , Trespassing on Mountains of Bird Poop , Midway through the 19th century, people discovered that guano, rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, could be turned into fertilizer. In a few short years, harvesters of "white gold" scraped entire islands clean of penguin guano. The penguins now seek shelter where they can , under rocks or bushes, in burrows scraped from soil , but many are forced to nest in the open, increasing adult and chick mortality and contributing to ongoing population decline for this endangered species., Maryland Zoo Connection , The Zoo Has Its Own Penguin Nursery. , Breeding pairs at the Zoo nest inside carrier kennels such as those you might use to transport your cat!, Research and Conservation , Can A Fiberglass Igloo Substitute for a Guano Burrow? , Crisis can spur change. Scientific knowledge can fuel conservation. Biologists studying AFrican penguins now realize the importance of sheltered nests to the birds' breeding success. Conservationists, in response, have begun placing artificial nests on some islands where African penguins breed. Penguin pairs have been quick to occupy them.