Raising awareness for the African penguin with our biggest waddle yet!

On International African Penguin Awareness Day, we waddled to raise awareness for the African penguin!

The #NotOnOurWatch campaign was launched in March 2022 to shed light on the plight of the critically endangered African penguin. Not only is this iconic seabird the only penguin species on the African continent, but it is also one of Cape Town’s most recognisable species, a huge tourism drawcard, and an integral part of our unique ocean ecosystem. Unfortunately, their numbers have declined dramatically in the last century, with an estimated ~8 750 breeding pairs in the wild today. If this decline continues, the African penguin will be functionally extinct by 2035.

In support of #NotOnOurWatch and the future of the African penguin, we waddled with CapeRADD, SANCCOB, and I AM WATER from Muizenberg to Simon’s Town on Saturday, 12 October. Along with our collective community of waddlers, we aimed to give a voice to this charismatic seabird and inspire collective action for their preservation and protection.

On the morning of the waddle, our starting point at Muizenberg’s Surfer’s Corner was abuzz with anticipation. At one end of the station was Samantha, our African penguin mascot, posing for pictures and showing off her signature dance moves. At another, our face-painting station was churning out adorable penguin “tattoos” for everyone from the youngest waddler to the young at heart! The Two Oceans Aquarium, CapeRADD, SANCCOB, and I AM WATER staff chatted to waddlers about the African penguin and encouraged them to sign the petition to save African penguins from extinction.

Mark Fitzgibbon of CapeRADD was our fabulous MC and hyped the crowd up while reminding them of the reason for the waddle: Protecting the future of the African penguin. With that, the intrepid waddlers began the walk to Simon’s Town.

Our next stop was at Long Beach in Simon’s Town, where more waddlers and their families joined us for the last 4km to our endpoint. Here, another round of face painting ensured that all our waddlers were as penguin-y as possible! Throughout the waddle, the crowd’s energy was unmatched, from chants of “save the penguins” to entire families dressed as penguins. This enthusiasm only grew the closer we got to Simon’s Town!

The final stretch of the waddle took everyone along the boardwalk bordering Boulder’s Beach, where they could spot African penguins resting in the shade. Finally, the wonderful waddlers reached the finish line at Seaforth Beach, where a small group of African penguins were waiting for them at the far end of the beach. Perched on the rocks, dressed in black and white, the waddlers looked very much like penguins!

With crystal clear waters and blue skies (and penguins, of course), Seaforth Beach was the perfect endpoint for our waddle. Many of the waddlers were lucky recipients of some awesome prizes, including plushie penguins, Two Oceans Aquarium tickets, WaddleOn socks, SANCCOB penguin adoptions, and reusable straws!

Our communities came together in force to celebrate African Penguin Awareness Day. We are so grateful to our partners, SANCCOB, CapeRADD, and I AM WATER, for helping us to execute such a successful waddle. What a marvellous way to raise awareness for the plight of the critically endangered African penguin.