African Penguins go back home!
By Karen Keeton
Wednesday, 7th July 2021Yesterday Raggy Charters Crew went on a mission to Bird Island, setting off with a beautiful sunrise and precious cargo, 3 "blue" African Penguins. These African Penguins were abandoned and rescued by SANPARK Rangers on Bird Island in April 2021. They were brought to SANCCOB Rehabilitation Centre, well looked after by their amazing team and now ready to be released. The drop off was successful and a few more chicks and an injured adult African Penguin, found recently by the Rangers, were loaded and brought back to SANCCOB to be cared for. Mission Successful!
The African Penguins moult from chicks into "blues", then grow into Juveniles, then into Adults. The colouring on the youngsters looks like blue steel, hence the name "blues". Once the chicks lose their chick fluff and become "blues" they leave the nest and start hunting and swimming. The abandoned chicks stay at SANCCOB and are cared for until they become "blues" and are totally waterproof, swimming and eating well, only then are they released back into the wild.
The SANPARK Rangers patrol and keep a good look out for any penguins that need assistance. Being an endangered species this is so important.
SANCCOB say at this time of the year they often find underweight "blues" stranded on the beaches, this could be due to various reasons such as over-fishing and the penguins having to travel further to find food, pollution and rough seas.
Please contact us if you see a distressed penguin on the beach, do not try to catch it, call us and leave it to the folk who know how to handle these precious lil fellows. Thank you.
"Blue" African Penguins on their way to home to Bird Island
The drop off and pick up can be a little tricky but with Jakes' skippering skills all goes well.
Watch Video : penguin_drop_and_pick_up_20210707.mp4
African Penguin Chicks and an injured Adult on their way to SANCCOB Rehabiliation Centre for some TLC and then to be returned home once healthy.
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