The latest annual penguin census at Boulders Beach has delivered some good news!
Cape Town, South Africa (28 June 2026) – This year’s survey at Boulders in Table Mountain National Park recorded 790 breeding pairs of African penguins, which is 92 more breeding pairs than recorded last year, bringing the estimated total population at Boulders to around 2528 individual birds!
This one colony accounts for roughly 8 to 9% of South Africa’s entire African penguin population – its positive growth is great news.
African penguins are critically endangered, with fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs left in the wild worldwide. Boulders has been one of South Africa’s most important African penguin breeding sites.
A dedicated team of organisations and volunteers comes together every June to conduct the census, including SANParks, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the City of Cape Town, Cumic Rangers, SANCCOB, and a group of volunteers.
Beyond the annual count, ongoing conservation work at Boulders – which includes habitat management, the rehabilitation of sick and injured penguins, disease monitoring, scientific research, and environmental education – all play a role in keeping the colony’s population strong.
One year’s positive growth doesn’t mean African penguins are out of danger. The species still faces serious pressure, mainly from the shrinking availability of main food sources, as well as habitat loss, predation, disease, and other human-related threats.
The boost in breeding pairs at Boulders is a win and a beacon of hope that shows conservation does make a difference!
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