MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Partners for 15 years, Diski and Domi, both critically endangered African penguins, are now the proud parents of two fluffy chicks: Fletcher and Pamela.
Diski and Domi are housed at the Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre (Saprec) in Mossdustria. Fletcher hatched on 4 July and Pamela on 6 July.
Saprec's founder, Carol Walton, said after Fletcher hatched, it was decided that the second egg should go to the Hartenbos Animal Hospital to hatch and that the chick be hand-reared. This is because Diski is getting on in years. He arrived at Saprec in 2011 when he was already an adult, and it would be difficult for him and Domi to properly care for both chicks.
Hartenbos Animal Hospital reiterated this sentiment in a Facebook post, saying it is unlikely that the parents would have been able to raise both into adulthood.
The egg containing Pamela arrived at the hospital on 4 July and was placed into an incubator. Pamela started pipping (the process of breaking through the eggshell) soon after, but then she stopped turning in her egg.
Dr Frans de Graaff, Dr Cailin Fourie and Sr Stefanie de Graaff assist Pamela’s hatching process. Photo: Hartenbos Animal Hospital
"We waited patiently, but after two days, we started slowly assisting her to hatch as she was not making any headway. After a team effort between Dr Cailin Fourie, Dr Frans de Graaff and Sr Stefanie de Graaff, Pamela was successfully removed," said the hospital.
"We have since been hand-rearing her at the hospital. Credit must go to her new mommies, Christie and Sr Stefanie, for feeding and caring for her."
Meanwhile, back at Saprec, Fletcher is doing extremely well and is being fiercely protected by his parents.
Diski and Domi have been partners since 2011 and are the proud parents of Fletcher and Pamela. Photo: Chelsea Pieterse
When Mossel Bay Advertiser went to visit Saprec on Tuesday morning, 14 July, Diski was standing guard at the entrance of their shelter, while Domi sat snugly tucked in right at the back, directly in front of Fletcher, who was completely hidden from view. Only his soft chirping could be heard.
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