The silvery light of dawn creeps in as an African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) heads to the water. Their numbers are decreasing and IUCN conservation status records the species as endangered.
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Nature on the Edge 
The African penguins look almost identical to me to the Magellanic penguins of Patagonia (southern Argentina/Chile), complete with the black stripe on their chest and the splodge of pink above the eye. Scroll down for a couple of shots of them:
https://alisonanddon.com/2013/12/15/feathers-ferries-tierra-whatever-and-penguins/
They must all come from a common source I would think, though the Patagonian penguins live way further south than the African ones.
Alison
I agree – the species are very similar and must have a common link / wondering how far back? The southern continents share flora and fauna species back to Gondwana – common heritage there except for that Wallace Line where marsupials and other wonderfully odd critters evolved east of the line.
so beautiful
Thanks, the morning light really favoured the setting 🙂
Wow, what a lovely capture 🙂
Thanks Arlene, some mornings the early light comes up in magical cast and penguins are so photogenic 🙂
Sad stats. But fine capture.
Sad it is! Just read today that the African penguins are more endangered than the rhinos; could be gone by 2050 at the rate of their demise.
😦
Your lovely photograph paints such a lonely picture – an excellent depiction of an endangered species.
Alone and vulnerable; be so sad to lose this species.
Sad about them decreasing – but glorious light on this little one!
Some mornings the sun just pops up in a sparkle, but on others such as this morning the golden glow is quite magical.
True – a few mornings are magical.
My husband just shared a sad penguin story about 40,000 chicks died due to hyperthermia when a rainstorm prevented the parents from returning in time when feeding in Antarctic. Sad these dear creatures are among those who are endangered.
That’s so devastating; the population figures must be severely impacted by that loss. So sad.
One day soon there’ll be hardly any species left.
Unless the human race disappears first!
That;s a sobering thought Liz. Lovely photo of a dear little creature. I’m guessing depleting fish stocks are partly to blame, and possibly climate change. Oh, no, that can’t be right, of course there IS no climate change.
It’s awful to think that they may disappear by 2050 – they’re in a worse plight than the rhinos. Yes, depleted fish stocks and warming ocean currents driving the fish to find the cooler water. Oh yes, what’s that about climate change?!
I guess they’ll migrate to Antarctica then. If there still is an Antarctica (or even an Arctic). Who knows how long the ice will remain.
its hard to hear but fact !