You may have seen adorable African penguins at Boulder’s Beach or Betty’s Bay while traveling near Cape Town.
They can usually be found hanging out on the rocks and taking dives into the water to catch fish.
But not all of the penguins got there by themselves — they had a little help from several conservation groups, who work to protect the birds and the coast, and allow tourists to see the penguins in their natural habitat.
These iconic birds (also known as jackass penguins) are endangered, with only 2% of the remaining population living free in the wild.
Courtesy of SANCCOB / Facebook
On Thursday, February 12, the conservation organization SANCCOB (The South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) released 15 African penguins at the Stony Point penguin colony in Betty’s Bay.
The colony at Stony Point is one of four mainland colonies in South Africa and was categorized as a municipal nature reserve in 2002.
If you’re in the area, you can swing by and see them enjoying their new home and the remainder of the Cape Town summer.
The best time of day to go is in the late afternoon after they’ve returned from fishing all day.
But if you can’t make it, you can still help out with the group’s conservation efforts.
For a limited time, SANCCOB is offering an adoption package for only R500 (US$50/€36) — and you don’t even have to live in South Africa.
As part of the adoption process, you get to name your own penguin and receive special adoption packs including a picture, certificate, and a thank you letter.
For more information on adopting a penguin, visit www.sanccob.co.za or call +27(0 21 557 6155).
Read More: News24
