More than 60,000 African penguins starved to death off South Africa due to a collapse in sardine populations. This food scarcity was caused by a combination of overfishing and the climate crisis affecting ocean conditions. Unable to build necessary fat reserves, the penguins died during their crucial moulting periods. Now classified as critically endangered, experts say restoring sardine levels is essential to prevent the species’ extinction.
Date: December 5, 2025. Source: independent.co