The 7th annual Penguin Promises Waddle for a Week will take place from 08 - 13 May 2017. This will again see the Waddlers set off from Kleinbaai in Gansbaai. The walk will last six days and end at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town. Along the way the group will raise much needed awareness about the plight of the endangered African penguin, as well as the environment. They will also collect promises as part of the Penguin Promises campaign.

The Penguin Promises Waddle for a Week started in 2011 and is a PAAZA (African Association of Zoos and Aquaria) conservation program. This initiative encourages people to make behavioral changes that have a positive impact on the environment.  The sixteen Waddlers, tackling the 120km walk, are animal keepers from around the country as well as other penguin enthusiasts and environmental supporters.

The African penguin is the only penguin species found on the African continent. The species is endemic to the southern African coastline and occurs from Namibia to Algoa Bay.

These birds face extinction in the wild as their numbers continue to decline dramatically. Reduced food availability due to overfishing, climate change and habitat destruction are just some of the factors taking their toll on bird numbers.

How can South Africans help the African penguin, the environment and the Waddlers? By simply promising to make a change in their daily lives. These promises are funneled through the Penguin Promises campaign and can be submitted to ipromise@penguinpromises.com

The Waddle for a Week and Penguin Promises campaign are not fundraisers - they rather aim to facilitate long-term behavioral change.

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