Penguins could face extinction

The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) is appealing to members of the public to adopt an African penguin in an attempt to preserve the species.

SANCCOB CEO Alan Jardine says with the African penguins' population having dropped by 90% in the past century, the species is facing extinction.

Jardine says the latest figures indicate that only 31-thousand breeding pairs exist, the lowest number ever. But he says a contribution of about R500 per bird, could save the species.