African penguins are critically endangered, declining due to overfishing of their prey and climate-driven shifts in fish distributions. Welfare and conservation challenges are deeply linked.
African penguin welfare is acutely threatened by food scarcity. Adults forced to swim long distances searching for prey return depleted to chicks that have been starving. Chick starvation is a prolonged, distressing welfare harm. Adults that spend excessive energy foraging have reduced survival and reproductive success. Closure of fishing areas near breeding colonies — creating exclusion zones — allows prey fish populations to recover and reduces adult foraging distances. This simple intervention has measurably improved chick survival and adult welfare.