Stony Point,
Betty's Bay
Africa has two flightless bird
species: the Ostrich, adapted
to terrestrial life and the African
Penguin, adapted
to marine existence. The African
Penguin colonizes
offshore islands and nests on
the mainland only at three places
in South
Africa. The site
at Stony
Point, Betty's
Bay is one of
the only three land-based colonies
and for this reason it is treasured.
The first nest was noticed in
1982. The Municipality erected
a fence and a viewing platform
for the conservation of the penguins.
The number of penguins
you may see from the viewing platform
will depend on time of day. The
best viewing times are early morning
and evening, particularly from
April to June.
Penguins
can reach speeds of up to 20 km
per hour and cruise at 4 - 7 km
per hour. They will seek prey
at depths of 100 m, but normally
dive to about 35 m. Adults stand
about 65 cm tall and the females
weigh about 3 kg, males about
0,5 kg more. They live 20 - 25
years and eat about 540 gram of
sardines, pilchards, squid etc.
per day.
African
Penguins reach
sexual maturity between 2 and
4 years of age. They usually mate
for life. Penguin
pairs will return to and defend
their nest each year for as long
as 15 years. They breed from February
to October. The nest, often a
deep burrow, takes some two weeks
to complete. The nests are line
with pads of feathers or plant
material. The eggs, rather round
in shape and about 7 x 6 cm, are
pure white when new laid, but
stain heavily as time passes.
If the eggs are predated, the
female often lays again about
six weeks later. Parents alternate
on the nest. One incubates while
the other forages. The eggs hatch
after 38 - 41 days and the nestlings,
usually two, are fed regurgitated
fish by both birds for about 11
weeks. They consume about 25 kg
of fish before they are big enough
to leave the nest.
The African
Penguin,
Speniscus demersus
is the only species of the 18
species worldwide, breeding around
African coasts. Penguins
occur only in the Southern Hemisphere.
Three other species are seen in
this region, but are rare vagrants.
Today, the total population of
African
Penguins is estimated
to be around 170 000 adults and
has suffered a decline of 90 %
in the past 60 years. The African
Penguin is listed
as Vulnerable in the Red Data
book.
