Penguins are so much more than just cute, waddling, flightless birds — they’re essential for the health and future of our OCEAN ecosystems. Penguin Awareness Day was enacted for just this reason; to bring our attention to the fact that penguins need our help. Here’s five reasons why your donation matters to all 18 penguin species.
Number One: Penguins are key for both ocean and land food chains. Their primary food source are krill, sardines, anchovies, smelt, and herring. Penguins serve as population control for the small fishes that they hunt. In water, penguins are prey for animals like leopard seals. Penguin eggs are consumed by predators like skuas on land. Without penguins, both ocean and land food chains would be thrown off balance.
Number Two: They help fertilize the soil. Penguins fertilize the soil with nutrients from the sea — with a reach that goes far past the shoreline. In Antartica, it was found that penguins help fertilize an area 240 times the size of the penguin population with nitrogen. The nitrogen is created from their feces; which then travels around Antartica through the wind. Consequently, Antarctic moss, lichens, and fungi are provided with the nutrients they need to thrive.
Number Three: They can tell us about the health of the ocean. Penguins are considered an indicator species. Because they rely on ocean food sources, their population decline indicates issues with ocean food sources and environmental degradation.
Number Four: Penguins face double threats — at land and sea. Penguins have two habitats to worry about, and both of them have changed for the worst. Significant decreases in sea ice cover and small fish populations are a primary concern. It’s predicted that emperor penguins could become quasi-extinct in the next 84 years from lack of sea ice. Penguin species, like the African penguin, are already feeling the impact of an overfished ocean. If fish populations don't improve, they'll go extinct by 2035.
Number Five: It’s not too late to save them. 10 out of the 18 penguin species are endangered, but none of them are extinct yet. With collaborative ocean conservation efforts from non-profits like Oceana; our penguins and our OCEANS have the possibility of a healthy future.
Want to help save penguins? Make a donation to VAKOVAKO to support the OCEANS that penguins rely on. 100% of your donation is guaranteed to go directly to non-profits, that have proven their dedication to saving oceans.
