The South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) has rehabilitated 94 penguins and released them back into the wild in Gqeberha, after the attacks by sharks and seals at Bird Island in Algoa Bay. Picture: Tracey Adams/Independent Media
Cape Town - At least 60 African penguins are still being rehabilitated after being attacked by sharks and seals at Bird Island in Algoa Bay.
The attacks have fuelled concern over the status of the species along the Western and Eastern Cape shoreline, as their numbers continue to decline.
The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) centre manager in Gqeberha, Carl Havemann, said 156 African penguins were admitted to the centre from August to November.
Most of the penguins had severe injuries, including broken limbs, fractured bones and gaping wounds.
Havemann said injured penguins were being found almost daily.
“The injured birds were stabilised on the island by our seabird monitors, before being sent to the Gqeberha facility for further treatment.
“To date, 94 penguins have been successfully released back into the wild. The remaining birds are still undergoing treatment and rehabilitation at the centre,” said Havemann.
The Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation noted that at the current rate of decline, by 2035, there probably would not be enough breeding pairs left for the species to survive in the wild.
“At Sanccob we are committed to mitigating the threats the species faces, and the rehabilitation we provide. We work closely with conservation authorities and jointly employ penguin and seabird rangers at the colonies in the Western and Eastern Cape.
“These rangers monitor the birds, engage with the public, try to reduce some of the threats to the penguins and rescue injured or abandoned penguins for rehabilitation at Sanccob until returned to the wild.
“There are larger issues like lack of food, climate change and pollution. Issues we see in the Western Cape regarding human-wildlife co-existence are road kills, predator attacks and disturbance by domestic dogs, and disturbance by colony visitors.”
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy recently announced that in an effort to conserve the feeding grounds of the African penguin, fishing limitations were established for Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stoney Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island and Bird Island.
These will be implemented for a minimum of 10 years with a review after six years.
The Sanccob has appealed to the public to adopt and name a penguin undergoing rehabilitation. This can be done on its website: www.sanccob.co.za