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African penguin
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Group of African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) standing together on sandy ground at Boulders Beach in Cape Town, South Africa.
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Group of African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) standing together on sandy ground at Boulders Beach in Cape Town, South Africa.
Bristol Zoo Cape penguins (Spheniscus demersus) at the Bristol Zoo, Bristol, England.

African penguin

bird
Also known as: Cape penguin, Spheniscus demersus, black-footed penguin, jackass penguin(Show More)
Written by
John P. Rafferty
John P. Rafferty writes about Earth processes and the environment. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to...
John P. Rafferty
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

African penguin, (Spheniscus demersus), species of penguin (order Sphenisciformes) characterized by a single band of black feathers cutting across the breast and a circle of featherless skin that completely surrounds each eye. The bird is so named because it inhabits several locations along the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. Since the middle of the 20th century, African penguin populations have undergone significant declines, making them one of the world’s most endangered penguin species. African...

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