Since 1983, when the first Jackass Penguins made Boulders Beach their home, the population has risen to over 2500 penguins. Boulders Beach Coastal Park is now a nature reserve where the penguins, which are endangered in the Western Cape, are monitored and protected. Visitors are able to watch the penguin colony from close by and get an in-depth introduction into the breeding habits and social structure of these birds. The Jackass Penguin is so named because its call that is somewhat similar to that of a braying donkey. To distinguish between South American penguins that make a similar sound, and because this is the only species that reproduces in Africa, it has been celebrated the “African penguin”.