Environmentalists are calling for greater protections for the African penguin colony near the Cape of Good Hope. Since the 1930s the number of penguins has dropped from 3 million to 120,000. Pollution and overfishing are the main culprits. Experts fear that the species could face extinction in as little as ten years.

Another cause for extinction alarms is the prospect of global warming. Sorching temperatures combined with changes in fish migration and rising water temperatures all spell disaster for the real life “Happy Feet.” A colony on Boulders Beach has seen a drop of 30 percent just since 2005 while other colonies have fallen as much as 50 percent.

Boulders Beach has hosted a colony of penguins since 1985. The penguins have attracted hordes of tourists over the years, since the animals seem unfazed by their presence. It now bills itself as the only place in the world where people can swim with penguins. Visitors to the best hotels in Cape Town can get easily find the beach and enjoy a unique holiday experience, secure in the knowledge that their presence is having no affect on the animals.

However, officials at the Table Mountain National Park remain concerned about the future of the species. The have begun installing nesting boxes in the colony. These boxes, which can house an entire family of penguins, have proven effective on a more isolated island in the waters off South Africa. They provide protection against the elements and from predators. Park rangers have already installed 200 such boxes.

The African penguin or “jackass” is the only peguin found on the African continent. They are smaller than other penguins and have shorter feathers than Antarctic species, since the temperatures are much warmer. Authorities hope that the new boxes will be successful and they will be able to install another batch of them before the breeding season ends this month.

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