The African penguins of Boulders Beach are now the main tourist attraction at their home outside Cape Town, South Africa, where you can study and befriend them just as our experts have. Listen to Onno Huyser, a penguin expert for the City Slickers special, and Tekla, a neighbor to the penguins, talk about these unusual birds in our audio interview.

Onno Huyser served as a scientific consultant for Animal Planet's City Slickers. Onno has been studying seabirds, chiefly penguins, for seven years, visiting remote sub-Antarctic islands to learn more about the feeding and diving behavior of penguins. He recently earned his master's degree in conservation biology and zoology from the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology in Cape Town.

Tekla Rowlands was featured in City Slickers and is a longtime resident of Boulders, the suburban beach community that is home to the colony of African penguins featured in the show. Tekla has lived alongside these penguins, and been an avid advocate for her fine-feathered friends.

Onno's Interview Penguin Evolution Penguins evolved from large flying birds much like albatrosses, which are in fact their closest living relatives. play audio There were once 40 species and now there are 17 left. play audio Penguin Anatomy People think penguins are amusing to look at, but their physiques are rather phenomenal. play audio And while telling the difference between penguins isn't at all easy, it can be done. play audio Where the Penguins Are Onno says the climate makes the bird. play audio City Penguin vs. Country Penguin Onno finds that both types of penguins are rather bold and fairly comfortable around humans. play audio Penguin Colonies Penguins hang out together but they aren't very social. play audio Penguin Defenses Lion seals and sharks are their biggest foes. play audio Penguin Conservation Protecting the penguin means controlling oil pollution. play audio Tekla's Interview Penguin Population Boom In her 48 years as a Boulders resident, Tekla has seen more penguin neighbors arrive. play audio People Taking Penguins' Place Tekla says people are where penguins would have nested naturally. play audio Penguin Appreciation The penguins of Boulders are very friendly and quite dignified. play audio Penguin Visitors Tekla says penguins are terribly curious and they often come into her home and garden for visits. play audio Penguin Protection Penguin laws and crossings protect the town's penguin population. play audio Penguin Vacation Tekla says swimming with penguins is fun. The beach at Boulders was once the main attraction, now it's the penguins. play audio Delightful Creatures Tekla enjoys having penguins as neighbors. play audio Change your media preferences.

Onno Huyser Tekla Rowlands