What’s that? You didn’t know there were penguins in Africa? Neither did I.
On the way back to Cape Town from Cape Point we saw a sign indicating a Penguin Colony in Seaforth. Seaforth is part of a chain of beach-front towns on the Cape Peninsula facing False Bay. Seal Island, and a number of rocks jut out of the water just off-shore. The waters are home to penguins, cormorants, seals, and the occasional great white shark.
It was hard enough to believe that there are penguins in Africa, but Seaforth is home to a sizable colony of them. We never even made it to the colony before we’d bumped into this guy:
above: a penguin in Seaforth, South Africa
He waddled across the intersection in front of our bakkie, not a bother on him. He stood by this storm drain, and turned and cocked his head to get a better look at us. He acted like he owned the place. Standing there in his little tuxedo, I thought I detected a hint of disdain in his body language. I guess he wasn’t impressed by our shorts and sandals.
I wasn’t sure why this little water fowl was more out of place: because he was wearing a dinner jacket in a beach town, or because he’s a damn penguin in Africa.
At the Two Oceans aquarium in Cape Town, they’ve got a few pairs of penguins just like the one we saw.
above: African Penguin in Cape Town’s Two Oceans Aquarium
They were also fascinating to see, but there’s something special about encountering such an incongruity in the “wild”.
