'African penguins are unique to our city and worthy of care, protection' - CT Mayor

Amy MacIver spoke to Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.

Did you know that the African penguin could face extinction by 2035?

These flightless aquatic birds are said to have lost 97% of their population over the last 100 years.

The main threat to African penguins is the lack of food as there is direct competition between these birds and commercial fisheries.

There are reportedly only 8,300 breeding pairs left in the wild in South Africa.

Hill-Lewis says the African Penguin is an important part of what makes Cape Town special and unique.

"It is an absolute must-see on every visitor's itinerary and I think they are unique to our city and absolutely worthy of our care and protection."

- Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town Mayor

"Boulders is the third most visited tourist attraction in Cape Town. It is massively popular with tourists, that's after the Waterfront and Table Mountain."

- Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town Mayor

"It's extremely popular amongst locals as well."

- Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town Mayor

"I think they are little seabirds that bring a huge amount of joy. I have personally been going to Boulders since I was a kid."

- Geordin Hill-Lewis, Cape Town Mayor

Scroll up to listen to the full interview.