CAPE TOWN — Seabird ranger Eduard Drost was busy with a routine inspection in an African penguin colony off the South African coast in 2021 when he noticed a troubling number of sickly birds. “Some were emaciated, especially the chicks,” he recalls. “Their chest and hip bones were sticking out. Their bellies were flat, not […]
Tag: African penguin
Breeding success raises hopes for future of endangered African penguin
Two African penguin chicks have emerged from their nest beneath a boulder at a site in South Africa where conservationists have used lifelike decoy penguins and broadcast penguin calls to entice adult penguins to breed. Christina Hagen, the Pamela Isdell Fellow of Penguin Conservation at BirdLife South Africa, who leads the project, was on one […]
Dead in their nests or washed ashore: why thousands of seabirds are dying en masse
Twenty years ago, David Grémillet, a seabird ecologist, watched in dismay as a heatwave hit a breeding colony of Cape gannets in Lambert’s Bay, South Africa, causing dozens of birds to keel over. An unseasonably hot wind sent temperatures to 40C (104F), too intense even for the heat-adapted birds. While guarding their nests, they baked […]
This little penguin can waddle easily again thanks to his custom-made boots
Lucas, a San Diego Zoo penguin with a chronic condition called “bumblefoot” that makes walking painful, can now waddle and hop with ease again thanks to a new pair of orthopedic boots. “‘Bumblefoot’ is a word we use for pododermatitis in birds,” meaning inflammation of the skin of the foot, Dr. Beth Bicknese, senior veterinarian […]
Orcas have killed at least 8 Great White Sharks off the coast of South Africa since 2017 – by ripping open their torsos and devouring their livers
Two killer whales are thought to have killed at least eight Great White Sharks off the coast of South Africa since 2017, and managed to scare off many more. Researchers found that the Great Whites have been avoiding certain regions of the Gansbaai coast for fear of being hunted by orca. Many of the shark […]
Too many tourists may stress African penguin chicks, according to a new study
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – According to a study conducted by a group of experts lead by the University of Pretoria (UP), tourists’ near proximity to African penguin babies may create stress in the birds. Immunosuppression could occur as a result of the stress, making them more susceptible to disease and limiting their ability to […]
Penguins in crisis as sardine populations plummet
African penguin populations are plummeting along with sardine stocks. As are Cape gannets and Cape cormorants, who also feed almost exclusively on the small pelagic fish. The penguins at Boulders Beach in Simonstown are safe as a tourist attraction, for now. The population has been relatively stable over the last five years but researchers believe […]
6 African Penguins Die at Zoo From Avian Malaria
Six of the nine African penguins at Columbian Park Zoo in Lafayette, Indiana, have recently died of avian malaria. The Columbian Park Zoo issued the announcement after the sick penguins finally succumbed to the illness. Neil Dale, the zoo director, said, “Avian malaria is one of the most significant causes of mortality in penguins, with […]