African penguins are in trouble. One hundred years ago, there were over one million breeding pairs. Now there are about 25,000. And if we don’t act now, we could lose the species to extinction.

You see, the problem was in the poo. You read that right. African penguins build their nests out of guano — penguin poo. But their nitrogen-rich guano was over-harvested and sold to farmers as fertilizer! Predation and habitat changes have also contributed to this unimaginable population decline, and now these birds are having a hard time just finding suitable places to build nests!

So for the first time ever, the Minnesota Zoo joined together with Association of Zoos & Aquariums-accredited facilities from around the world to launch an ambitious Kickstarter project to take on this unique challenge. But there’s one thing missing: you. Watch the whole story — and become one of our project’s first backers on Kickstarter today!

We’ve got the best scientists and researchers on the case. The solution: an artificial nest, rigorously tested and perfected in the field. Made by hand by local craftspeople in South Africa using special materials, it’s just the right temperature for penguin eggs inside and holds up to predators on the outside.

We have a big goal: we need to raise $150,000 by June 16 to produce 1,500 nests and install them in colonies around South Africa and Namibia. By backing Invest in the Nest today, you’ll be helping power this amazing conservation project — and you could help us bring African penguins back from the brink of extinction.

Check out the project page to learn more and choose from our one-of-a-kind rewards — then make your pledge!

Thank you for helping us give wild penguins a new home and hope for the future.