Conservationists are employing some very low tech trickery to help save the endangered African penguins along our shores.

The consistent dwindling of their prey along Africa’s west coast, means the future of the African penguin is uncertain.

Did you know that we have lost close to 99% of the African penguin population since the turn of the previous century?

A 60% decrease in South Africa alone means they could be functionally extinct in the next 10 years.

Penguins naturally settle in groups and will easily breed in a location where there are already lots of other penguins.

As part of the African Penguin Relocation Project – one of the tricks being used at the De Hoop Nature reserve is mirrors.

But it gets even more curious, as BirdLifeSA’s Christina Hagen explains…

That’s right; they have placed fake penguin made out of concrete all over the place.

The real penguins are seemingly unable to tell the difference between their mates and the decoys in their various penguin-like poses.

Christina says they’ve also created ready-made accommodation that’s perfect for breeding.

And they have placed speakers nearby to create the perfect, familiar ambience of consistent penguin bird calls – the penguin equivalent of a Barry White song.

Good work being done for a very important cause.I definitely want penguins to still be around for future generations…