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African penguin nests have flooded in the past weekend’s bad weather, resulting in parents abandoning their chicks, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) says.
In the last two weeks, while there have been unfortunate fatalities, 147 penguin chicks have been successfully rescued and admitted to Sanccob’s two centres (one being in Table View), where they received emergency stabilisation treatment and will undergo artificial hand-rearing, in the absence of their parents.
Sanccob says in a statement that Robben Island Museum and the Sanccob team worked tirelessly to find a vessel intended for extreme weather conditions and a crew willing to venture out to the island and rescue seven abandoned penguins.
“It was wonderful to observe the phenomenal dedication from Offshore Maritime Services (OMS), where the crew launched a rescue operation at 18:00 that evening,” the statement reads.
“OMS kindly coordinated with the Robben Island Museum Harbour Master and expertly collected and transported very cold and wet chicks to safety. Strong winds and rain persisted at the port where the Sanccob team waited anxiously to receive this precious cargo.”
The birds were then driven to Sanccob’s Seabird Hospital for admission to the specialised Chick Rearing Unit where they were treated.
Rescued
In the past few days, CapeNature and Sanccob’s penguin and seabird rangers braved the freezing cold and wet weather to perform necessary monitoring of penguin nests that may have been impacted by the weather.
Their dedicated efforts paid off when they found 97 penguin chicks had been abandoned – they were discovered in flooded nests, very wet and shivering, unable to regulate their body temperature.
A Sanccob team was deployed to the colony to ensure the chicks received the necessary emergency care, aimed at raising their body temperature and improving their hydration.
“The value of the collaborative efforts between Sanccob and the conservation management authorities cannot be underestimated. The rangers continue to demonstrate their commitment to saving a species that is experiencing a dangerous population decline.”
Despite challenges such as severe weather, the rangers performed their monitoring duties, leopard-crawling through dense vegetation to locate the tricky nests and peek inside.
“We are observing an increased number of abandoned penguins due to weather events, more so during the winter months, as the climate changes. It is therefore expected that we will continue to experience these events in future, indicating the requirement to plan accordingly, and ensure that Sanccob’s African Penguin and Seabird Ranger Project remains financially supported and sustainable . . . the penguins depend on them.”
Biological Diversity
Just last month, the International Day for Biological Diversity was celebrated.
There are almost 350 seabird species found worldwide and these species range from penguins to gulls to albatrosses, all which play an important role in their respective ecosystems.
At Sanccob, they admit between 24 and 28 different species each year.
Seabirds are often key indicators of marine health, making them vital for identifying deteriorating systems.
The biggest threat that endangered species like the African penguin faces is lack of food due to low stocks of sardine and anchovy, resulting in emaciation and inability of adult birds to feed their chicks.
Sanccob says in partnership with WWF South Africa and Sea Change Project, they will be presenting a panel discussion to address the threats which challenge the existence of the endangered African penguin soon.
This will follow the inspiring Penguin Town series by Red Rock Films International.
If you would like to make any donations or volunteer, send an email to volunteers@sanccob.co.za or WhatsApp their volunteer line on 076 682 5130.
