<sod>The original colony of [[African penguin]]s on the island was completely exterminated by 1800. However the modern day island is once again an important breeding area for the species after a new colony established itself there in 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/stats/adu/robben.htm|title=Robben Island|author=Les Underhill |publisher=Avian Demography Unit, [[University of Cape Town]]|accessdate=2008-10-12}}</ref> The colony grew to a size of ~16,000 individuals in 2004, before starting to decline in size again. As of 2015, this decline has been continuous (to a colony size of ~3,000 individuals) and mirrors that found at almost all other African penguin colonies. Its causes are still largely unclear and likely to vary between colonies, but at Robben Island are probably related to a diminishing of the food supply (sardines and anchovies) through competition by fisheries.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Weller|first1=F.|last2=Cecchini|first2=L.A.|last3=Shannon|first3=L.|last4=Sherley|first4=R.B.|last5=Crawford|first5=R.J.|last6=Altwegg|first6=R.|last7=Scott|first7=L.|last8=Stewart|first8=T.|last9=Jarre|first9=A.|year=2014|title=A system dynamics approach to modelling multiple drivers of the African penguin population on Robben Island, South Africa|journal=Ecological Modelling|volume=277|pages=38–56}}</ref> The penguins are easy to see close up in their natural habitat and are therefore a popular tourist attraction.<eod>
<sod>The original colony of [[African penguin]]s on the island was completely exterminated by 1800. However the modern day island is once again an important breeding area for the species after a new colony established itself there in 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/stats/adu/robben.htm|title=Robben Island|author=Les Underhill |publisher=Avian Demography Unit, [[University of Cape Town]]|accessdate=2008-10-12}}</ref> The colony grew to a size of ~16,000 individuals in 2004, before starting to decline in size again. {{As of|2015}}, this decline has been continuous (to a colony size of ~3,000 individuals) and mirrors that found at almost all other African penguin colonies. Its causes are still largely unclear and likely to vary between colonies, but at Robben Island are probably related to a diminishing of the food supply (sardines and anchovies) through competition by fisheries.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Weller|first1=F.|last2=Cecchini|first2=L.A.|last3=Shannon|first3=L.|last4=Sherley|first4=R.B.|last5=Crawford|first5=R.J.|last6=Altwegg|first6=R.|last7=Scott|first7=L.|last8=Stewart|first8=T.|last9=Jarre|first9=A.|year=2014|title=A system dynamics approach to modelling multiple drivers of the African penguin population on Robben Island, South Africa|journal=Ecological Modelling|volume=277|pages=38–56}}</ref> The penguins are easy to see close up in their natural habitat and are therefore a popular tourist attraction.<eod>