Absence of breeding by African penguins at four former colonies

Abstract

African penguins Spheniscus demersus no longer nest at four suspected previous breeding localities: Neglectus Islet (Hottentot Bay), North Reef and Albatross Island off Namibia and Jacob's Reef off South Africa. This brings to 10 the number of localities where breeding does not now occur. Breeding also ceased at Robben Island, which has now been recolonized. It is uncertain that penguins bred at Cape Recife. Of the other 10 localities, breeding probably stopped at five as a result of competition with South African fur seals Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus for space and at four because of exploitation and disturbance by man. The reason for the loss of the important colony at North Reef, where there were more than 1 000 penguins in 1956, is unclear, but a scarcity of food may be implicated.