Which penguin species is also widely known as the African penguin?

The scientific name of the African penguin is Spheniscus demersus.

This penguin lives along the southwestern coast of Africa and on nearby islands, especially in Namibia and South Africa. Its range makes it the only penguin species that breeds naturally on the African continent. It is adapted to a relatively warm marine environment rather than the ice-covered conditions associated with Antarctica.

The African penguin was historically called the jackass penguin because its loud, braying call resembles a donkey’s. That older common name can cause confusion, so African penguin is now the preferred everyday name. The species has pink, largely featherless patches around its eyes; these help release heat as the bird’s body temperature rises.

Spheniscus demersus belongs to the banded-penguin genus Spheniscus. Its relatives include the Humboldt, Magellanic, and Galápagos penguins, but each is a distinct species with a different geographic range.