MOSSEL BAY NEWS - It is time again that young African penguins are found stranded on local beaches.
The young birds look a little different from the adults as they do not have the well-known white breasts with black spots.
At 60 to 130 days, penguin are newly fledged. The timing depends on environmental factors such as the quality and availability of food.
The fledged chick will go to sea on its own. They return to the natal colony after a lengthy time period of 12–22 months to moult into adult plumage. Soon after entering the sea, their blue colour becomes darker and they are then in juvenile plumage and known as Blues.
Although not a lot is known about this juvenile stage, they are extremely mobile and travel great distances.
Blues that hatched in Algoa Bay travel westwards towards Cape Town and even as far as Ichaboe Island in Namibia. With Mossel Bay about half way to Cape Town, the tired little birds that are not strong enough, end up stranded on local beaches.
Stranded penguins are usually an indication that there is something wrong with them and immediate action should be taken.
Please do not try to put them back into the water and keep dogs away. Do not crowd around the penguin as it will cause stress.
If a dead penguin is found, please do not leave it on the beach or even bury it as the cause of death needs to be established. Since the start of 2017, all African penguins that are released, receive a microchip implant and it is vitally important to retrieve the data from these chips.
Contact Carol Walton at SAPREC (082 364 3382) if any penguins are found for instructions on what to do.
A young African penguin found on a local beach this weekend is enjoying the sun while being looked after by the caring volunteers at SAPREC.
The young birds (in front), look a little different from the adults (at the back) as they do not have the well-known white breasts with black spots.
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