Penguins released

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - It has been a busy time at SAPREC (Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre) as quite a few African Penguins and other seabirds were found on local beaches.

Some of the penguins had serious bite wounds from either Cape Fur Seals or sharks while others suffered from malaria or severe fungal lung infections.

After being treated by Dr Frans de Graaff, the birds are rehabilitated by the loving hands of the volunteer ladies at SAPREC until they are ready to be released.

In the past five months, five African penguins suffering from arrested moult, have arrived at the centre.

It is very unusual to get so many cases in such a short time. Arrested moult happens when the normal moult the birds undergo annually, shuts down and they do not have sufficient body resources to complete the moult. During the rehabilitation in this arrested moult condition, the birds are fed much fish but also oils such as Omega 3 and other supplements to help them to finish the moulting process.

On Friday, 15 February six penguins were released at Fransmanshoek. They were all microchipped so that vital information about them is known when they are found again.

All releases are happy occasions and this release was particularly special as two of the six had come in with arrested moults and one penguin arrived at SAPREC a year ago oiled, cleaned, released and it returned to Mossel Bay a year later.

The SAPREC team is sure that these penguins will be on their way to Port Elizabeth as all penguins that they have managed to trace through the microchips, have come from there.

Avian flu reason for African penguin deaths

Since mid-December 2018, a spike in the death of African penguins was noticed on and around Halifax Island near Lüderitz in Namibia.

This is the third most important breeding site for the African penguin and home to about 2 500 penguins.

Researchers were at first baffled by the deaths as no other bird species were affected. Finally, the test results confirmed that an outbreak of avian flu, was the reason for this.

About 223 cases and 250 deaths have been recorded up to now on the island, which is about 10% of the island population.

Fortunately, no cases have been reported from South African breeding colonies.

The penguins migrate between breeding colonies around the South African coast and one can only hope that this terrible disease does not spread any further.

African penguins are endangered and according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) the numbers have decreased to about 50 000.
It is therefore crucial that as many birds as possible are saved.

Mossel Bay is fortunate to have SAPREC operating in Mossel Bay and the Southern Cape.

If anybody would like to visit the centre to meet the penguins or needs to report a penguin or seabird in distress, call Carol Walton (082 364 3382).

Do not put the penguin back in the sea. Phone SAPREC and volunteers will respond immediately.

This is what a penguin in arrested moult looks like.