India, Dec. 9 -- New study finds nearly 62,000 African penguins died of starvation between 2004-11

Collapse of sardine stocks left birds unable to build vital fat reserves for moulting

Penguins can lose almost half their body mass during their annual 21-day moult

Sardine exploitation west of Cape Agulhas peaked at 80% in 2006

Scientists warn climate change and fishing pressure threaten the species' survival

Overexploitation of sardines off southern Africa led to the deaths of over 60,000 African penguins, new research suggests, with scientists linking the die-off to chronic food shortages during the birds' annual moult.

The study, published in the journal Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology, found that nearly 62,000 penguins die...