Penguins Need Protection

Penguins Need Protection. . , The number of wild African penguins has dropped by about 98 percent. , , Egg collection and habitat loss devastated African penguin colonies from the 1800s to the 1960s. Although their nesting sites are now under protection, new threats have emerged. Overfishing and climate change have depleted the ocean of the fish African penguins need to survive. , , Helping Wildlife Thrive , Work is underway to save African penguins. , Lincoln Park Zoo has funded conservation work in South Africa and assisted with rehabilitation of orphaned penguins. , , The zoo also pilot-tested a design for an artificial nest for wild colonies with limited nesting sites., As part of the African Penguin Species Survival Plan", the zoo helps sustain a viable population for the future. Zoo scientists carry out the technical analysis needed to ensure the population's long-term health., Take Action With Us , Fact-check Your Food , One of the most urgent threats to African penguins is overfishing of sardines and anchovies, their main food source. , You can use Seafood Watch, a resource from Monterey Bay Aquarium, to make informed and sustainable choices when you buy seafood. , , Visit seafoodwatch.org to search recommendations or download a consumer guide.