African penguins are highly vulnerable to oil pollution, and effective spill response combined with rehabilitation is critical to welfare and population recovery.
Oiled penguins suffer acutely from hypothermia as their waterproofing fails, ingestion of toxic oil during preening, and severe stress from capture and handling during rehabilitation. The rescue and washing process, while lifesaving, is itself stressful and requires expert handling to minimize trauma. Long-term population effects of oil spills compound individual suffering, reducing breeding success for years afterward. Prevention through stronger shipping regulations and rapid response capacity represents the highest welfare and conservation priority.