Animal Preserve: People Helping Penguins

These penguins are lucky they were taken to SANCCOB for care.

When I arrived, there were penguins, in their black and white cozzies (that’s South African for “bathing suits”),ย hanging around the pool area. Several, faces to the warm sun,ย were catching some afternoon rays. Others were showing off their swimming skills. One was looking for a waiter to bring her a drink and a snack. I’m sure they were thinking, “Life is good!”

African Penguins pending the day at the pool.

And that’s a good thing, because these poor little birds have had a rough time. They’re guests of SANCCOB (the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) because they’ve been injured, orphaned, or were found sick.

The goal of this group is to help South African seabirds for the benefit of present and future generations. In addition, they work on research projects to learn more about birds, AND give classes to children, teachers, and the public to help them understand the important part birds play in the coastal ecosystem. What wonderful work these people are doing!

Volunteers help prepare lunch for the birds.

When an injured bird arrives, it’s weighed, checked by the veterinarian, given medicine, food, and a safe, clean place to live.ย It’s looked after at SANCCOB untilย it’s ready to make it onย its own out in the wild.ย 

A penguin must even pass a test beforeย it’s released.ย Itย must be able to swim for one hour. This helps the workers know that the penguin is healthy enough to survive on its own in its natural habitat (the beach and ocean around South Africa). If you’re surprised to hear there are penguins in Africa, click here.

 

 

 

 

Carole, SANCCOB’sย Education Manager,ย told me thatย African penguins areย “indicator species”. That means, ifย people notice many penguinsย dying, itย indicatesย there’s somethingย wrong with theย local ocean ecosystem.ย Let me explain. You knowย penguins eat fish, right?ย If manyย fishย die because the water is becoming warmer fromย climate change,ย orย if it’s becomingย too polluted fromย trash or poisons, or ifย overfishingย takes too many fish out of the ocean,ย our penguin friendsย won’t have enough toย eat.ย Thenย many penguins die, and theย population decreases.

 

 

 

 

The SANCCOB workers are trying to increase the African Penguin population. The birds are an endangered species. In addition to nursing them back to good health, they also raise penguin chicks until they’re big and strong enough to take care of themselves. Then they take them to aย place where there are other penguins, like Boulders Beach or Foxy Beach, and release them.

Penguins are given bands so the staff can keep track of them.

Some of the penguins are tagged or have a GPS signaling device attached to them, so the researchers can learn moreย about their lifestyle. They’ve discovered that some of the penguins swim all the way from South Africa to Namibia and back!

 

Education Manager, Carole Olivier, and Ms. Christie-Blick at SANCCOB.

It’s good to know there are people like Carole and the SANCCOB organization looking after the earth’s precious animals, and helping people to understand that all life is interconnected in food webs, don’t you think?

 

 

 

 

Click here to learn more about SANCCOB and to view their gallery of pictures.

 

 

 

 

65 thoughts on “Animal Preserve: People Helping Penguins

  1. I did not know that penguins could live in africa i thought penguins needed ice to survive and I don’t think there is ice in africa

  2. I love those little penguins. We need to stop polluting our oceans that way our ecosystems stay balanced. Our oceans need to stay clean so us and other animals stay clean. ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Hearing about this penguin problem made me so upset. Penguins are so cute and they’re lives are being disturbed and they’re dying. Even though that this is happening, because penguins are appealing to people it’ll be easier to get support from people. In these penguins tough situation, they’re looks are a key aspect to getting help. It’s also great that people are making such a great effort to help them. ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Aww!! How cute! It’s amazing what those people do to help these little fluff-balls. I just want to cuddle them!!! ๐Ÿ˜€

  5. I never knew that penguins were swimming in warm waters. I though that penguins only were swimming in cold waters.

  6. Those penguins are so cute! the squeaking gets annoying after a while. I think it is so cool how they have a place for injured birds.

  7. They are so adorable!!!!! I am so happy people are doing this for the penguins. Small or big every little life matters. ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. These penguins are adorable+ funny! I never knew that there was a oragnization for injured penguins. What a great idea.

  9. The penguins are so cute and there really loud I wonder how loud they are when your actually there with them. ๐Ÿ™‚

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