Penguin Rescue: an update on Ms 349

Big shout out to the big-hearted people at SANCCOB!

I'm thrilled to let you know that Venessa Strauss, CEO of SANCCOB just wrote to me to tell me that our little penguin heroine, 'Ms 349', is still fighting.(See my article Penguin Rescue dated 18 August for pics and full story).

According to Venessa, Ms 349, as she has become affectionately known to my colleagues at Cambridge University Press, is still quite weak, but her chest infection has cleared up a bit.

She may be ready to move from what appears to be an intensive medical care ward for penguins, to a general ward, so to speak, within a week or so. I will write a further update then. The adoption papers and photo will be sent once she's ready for release back into the wild!

Penguin rescue

The dry dock outside our offices received a rare surprise visitor yesterday – a female African Penguin (also known as a Jackass Penguin, due to its braying call). The conservation status of these engaging birds is ‘vulnerable’ or ‘threatened’.

It is very unusual for such a social species of bird to be seen on land alone and so far from their normal colonies such as the one located at Simonstown. It was obvious that the bird was in distress and weakened – even struggling to stand upright in the shallowest of swells. She also appeared to be badly wounded.

I immediately contacted the nearby Two Oceans Aquarium, who kindly collected the penguin and drove her to SANCCOB (The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) who are the leading local experts in the rehabilitation of coastal birds. According to recent research by the Avian Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town, the African Penguin population is 19% higher today than it would have been in the absence of SANCCOB’s efforts in rehabilitation.

I contacted SANCCOB this morning to see if I could get an update on the penguin, and was referred to Cheryl, who is caring for ‘Number 349’ – the name given to our damsel in distress. Despite sounding like she has a bad cold, Cheryl kindly gave me an update on 349’s condition – the poor bird has a hip injury, is badly oiled and suffering from pneumonia. On arrival at the centre, she was immediately placed on a drip and her condition has now stabilised. According to Cheryl, 349’s chances of recovery are quite good.

I have also spoken to Megan at SANCCOB and will ‘adopt’ 349 on behalf of the Cape Town office, which will help to fund some of the costs of her treatment. If you would like to find out more information about the great work that SANCCOB do, visit their website www.sanccob.co.za

Other notable creatures that I have sighted within our little dock area include our resident seal with her newborn pup, a rare Sun Fish, several baby sharks doing their best to look menacing despite being ruler-length, an octopus and a very large, furtive crayfish, scuttling perilously close to the nearby sea food restaurants.