On Heritage Day, the Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Conservation Trust teams had the honor of releasing two adult African Penguins and seven penguin chicks back onto Dyer Island. The Trust works closely with our conservation partners at CapeNature, who manage the Dyer Island Nature Reserve.
Colleagues joined us for a special trip to the island to share in this memorable event. Since our penguin and seabird ranger, Lwando Baleni, and the CapeNature ranger couldnât enjoy a traditional Braai Day, we brought them a burger treat from the Great Whitehouse Restaurant to celebrate on the island!
One adult penguin was rescued in Hermanus by our volunteer, Gerhard van der Merwe, after being found with a small cut on its left flipper. After two weeks of recovery at our African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, it was ready to return home. The second adult penguin was found in Struisbaai by Niel Falck, who regularly sends us injured, sick, or underweight penguins for rehabilitation.
The seven chicks were underweight when Lwando found them, so they were sent to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary to receive proper care and nutrition until they reached a healthy weight for release.
At Marine Dynamics and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, our mission is to protect and preserve our marine heritage for future generations. đ§
Want to help rebuild the Dyer Island African Penguin colony? Book your tour with us at www.marinedynamics.co.za and visit https://dict.org.za/dict-projects/african-penguin-seabird-sanctuary/ to learn more about our conservation efforts!
