This video of an African penguin commandeering a bodyboard and riding the swell off the Cape coast of South Africa is exactly the kind of wholesome content we need to see us into the weekend:
The clip, captured earlier this year and shared on multiple platforms to the delight of thousands, shows a young penguin confidently clambering onto the back of a bodyboarder where it perched for a while before finding its way onto a board belonging to Aden Kleve, the owner of a Bodyboard South Africa, a company that specialises in teaching bodyboarding lessons. A pointing, smiling Kieve can be seen steadying the board while the penguin bobs up and down over some gentle waves.
"He was so friendly, curious, and simply wanted to play on my bodyboard," Kieve told Storyful. "I’ll never forget this."
Some commenters online suggested that the penguin's eagerness to take up bodyboarding could have, in fact, been an indication that a shark was on the prowl nearby, but according to Dr Katrin Ludynia, SANCCOB research manager and a marine biologist at the University of Cape Town, the penguin looked relaxed and didn't appear to be trying to escape a predator. "Cape fur seals do sometimes predate on African penguins, so if there was a seal in the area, the bird could have been trying to get away but I would rather have expected the bird to be swimming away in that case," she told us via email.
African penguins are a drawcard for tourists and many people flock to well-established colonies at places like Boulder's Beach to see the endangered birds up close. These penguins have become very accustomed to swimming and waddling alongside humans, so it's possible that the bodyboarding bird is a little bolder than your average wild animal. It's even possible that the penguin was hand-reared at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), a seabird conservation and rescue organisation that rehabilitates and rewilds penguins that are suffering from injury or illness. These birds may be more comfortable around humans compared to their wild counterparts, but studies indicate that their survival rates (in their first year at sea, at least) are about the same as birds that have not been raised in captivity.
Interventions from conservationists and wildlife rehabilitators are becoming increasingly necessary for African penguins as the species has suffered a significant decline in population size over the last three decades. Estimates suggest that the birds could be extinct in the wild by 2035 if threats are not mitigated. "There is a lot of research being conducted to understand population trends and the reasons behind the dramatic decline of the species," explains Dr Ludynia. "Lack of food, with the main prey items (sardine and anchovy) being currently depleted or in low numbers, is believed to be a key driver of the current population decline. Other reasons are underwater noise pollution due to increased shipping traffic, oil spills, disease outbreaks, predation and climate change."
African penguin breeding colonies are restricted to the South African and Namibian coastlines and there are believed to be less than 10,000 breeding pairs left in the wild. SANCCOB and BirdLife South Africa are working closely with local conservation authorities to protect the remaining breeding sites, rescuing abandoned eggs and hand-rearing the chicks for release back into the wild. But their survival in the coastal waters off South Africa remains in jeopardy if critical fish stocks are not better controlled. Although the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), has implemented no-take fishing zones for a period of 10 years around six key African penguin breeding colonies, SANCCOB and Birdlife are challenging the ruling, arguing that these closures will not be enough to save the species.
As for the bodyboard-stealing bird, reports indicate that it swam away after the encounter (hopefully to find a snack). If you come across a penguin while swimming or surfing in South Africa's waters, Dr Ludynia advises that you stay calm, relax and let the bird investigate. Don't try to touch a penguin though, they bite.
Contact SANCCOB for more info about penguin and seabird conservation or to report a sick or injured bird.
Cute
Cute
Predator vs Prey
