Penguin Palooza 2026 returns to Stony Point in support of African Penguin conservation
Stony Point in Betty’s Bay is one of the last known locations on Earth where African Penguins still breed on the mainland, and the species is under growing pressure. On Saturday, 7 November 2026, Penguin Palooza returns to Stony Point Nature Reserve, giving the public a chance to learn about the species and the work CapeNature, SANCCOB and other partners are doing to protect it.
The annual event starts at 10:00 and offers behind-the-scenes insight into the monitoring and rehabilitation work linked to the colony. Visitors can browse vendors, join children’s activities and meet organisations involved in seabird and marine conservation. They can also observe the penguins from the Stony Point boardwalk designed to limit disturbance to the colony.
African Penguins face reduced food availability, pollution (including oil spills), climate change, habitat disturbance and predation. CapeNature works with SANCCOB, which leads the rehabilitation of injured, ill and distressed seabirds, while CapeNature’s work focuses on monitoring and protecting breeding colonies such as Stony Point.
The maximum breeding pair count at Stony Point in 2026 was only 506 pairs, and fewer than 8 750 breeding pairs remain along the South African coastline. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) uplisted the species to Critically Endangered in 2024, reflecting a sharp population decline across southern Africa. Scientists have warned that the species could be extinct in the wild by 2035.
Responding to these threats requires sustained conservation work, but the public has a role to play too. Penguin Palooza encourages visitors to view penguins responsibly, respect breeding colonies, keep beaches and oceans free of litter and support organisations working to conserve marine species. It also helps children and young people understand the link between healthy oceans, thriving seabird populations and human wellbeing.
By bringing people closer to the conservation work taking place at Stony Point, we hope to inspire visitors to become advocates for African Penguins and the marine ecosystems on which they depend. Protecting the colony and monitoring its breeding is central to securing the future of this species, and we are grateful to our partners who share that commitment.
Penguin Palooza is a celebration of what can be accomplished through strong conservation partnerships. Together, CapeNature and SANCCOB are working to protect some of South Africa's most threatened seabirds, including the Critically Endangered African Penguin. Supported by dedicated Rangers at key breeding colonies such as Stony Point, SANCCOB continues to monitor breeding colonies and rescue and rehabilitate seabirds, helping to secure a future for these remarkable species.
CapeNature and SANCCOB invite families, schools and community members to join Penguin Palooza and learn how collective action can help ensure African Penguins continue to live and breed along South Africa’s coastline.
ABOUT CapeNature
CapeNature is a public institution mandated to promote and ensure biodiversity conservation within the Western Cape and is the custodian of the Cape Floristic Region. The Entity manages most of the mountain catchments and reserves that supply ecosystem services to the citizens of the Western Cape. This requires good scientific data, a sound understanding of fynbos ecology and commitment to the principles of integrated biodiversity management and planning. Most of this work is in remote areas out of the public eye but has a direct bearing on the quality of life of millions of people in the province.
ABOUT SANCCOB
The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) is a leading seabird conservation organisation dedicated to reversing the decline of seabird populations across southern Africa, with the African Penguin serving as its flagship species. Through the rescue, rehabilitation and release of ill, injured, abandoned and oiled seabirds, SANCCOB works to safeguard some of the region's most threatened marine wildlife.
SANCCOB's vision is centred on building a future where seabirds and people coexist in ecological sustainability. Guided by its core values of dedication, collaboration and integrity, the organisation remains committed to securing a thriving future for seabirds and healthy ocean ecosystems for generations to come.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
CapeNature
General Manager: Advocacy
Petro van Rhyn
pvrhyn@capenature.co.za
071 231 7576
SANCCOB
Marketing & Media Coordinator
Clarissa Denner
clarissa@sanccob.co.za
081 236 2961
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