Did You Know? 🐧 The African penguin has already lost a staggering 97% of its population. Last year, the species was uplisted to “Critically Endangered” by the @IUCNRedList, meaning they are just one step away from extinction. Without urgent action, African penguins could disappear entirely by 2035! ❌💔 The greatest threat to African penguins is the lack of access to their primary food sources, sardines and anchovies 🐟, due to competition with the commercial small pelagic fishing industry. This competition is especially severe near the six key breeding colonies, which are home to 90% of South Africa’s African penguin population. To address this crisis, the Biodiversity Law Centre, @BirdLife_SA, and @SANCCOB are taking a stand. While the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment has announced temporary fishing closures around the breeding colonies, these closures are insufficient and fail to fully protect the penguins’ natural behaviour and survival needs. ⚖️ The organisations are now pursuing legal action to push for stronger, biologically meaningful fishing closures around African penguin breeding colonies. The case—the first of its kind in South Africa—will be heard in the Pretoria High Court in March 2025. 🌎🐧💙 This #PenguinAwarenessDay, you can help too! Support local organisations dedicated to penguin conservation, and share the urgent message about protecting these iconic seabirds before it’s too late. Together, we can ensure a future where African penguins thrive. 👉 Read more: biodiversitylaw.org/breaking… #Penguins #AfricanPenguins #SaveAfricanPenguins #Wildlife #WildlifeConservation #EndangeredSpecies #MarineConservation #ActForPenguins