In February 2025, a Rockhopper penguin was found stranded on a beach in Arniston, South Africa, thousands of kilometres from home. Injured and severely underweight, likely as a result of a dog bite, and, was immediately transported to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS). From the moment he arrived, it was clear that he had already endured a long and difficult journey.
Under the expert care of our dedicated team, led by senior bird rehabilitator Xolani Lawo and APSS veterinarian Dr Annamarie Robberts, Rocky, as he was affectionately named, began a slow but remarkable recovery. With intensive treatment, careful monitoring, and plenty of nourishment, he gained more than a kilogram in just a few weeks. His flipper injury healed fully, he completed a 25-day moult, and he reached a healthy weight of 3.4 kilograms, ready to return to the wild ocean!
Rocky being released.
To give Rocky the best possible chance of making it home, and to learn from his extraordinary journey, we decided to fit him with a coded satellite tag before release. This allowed us to track his movements and gain rare insight into the mysterious migration patterns of Rockhopper penguins, a valuable research opportunity that could help protect the species in the future. The Agulhas Current, flowing south-westward along South Africa’s east and south coasts, acts as a powerful natural conveyor belt, and we hoped its warm, fast-flowing waters would carry him safely on his long journey back towards Marion Island.
Rocky was released on 27 April (Freedom Day) after a three-hour journey aboard Marine Dynamics’ Whale Whisperer. As he entered the Agulhas Current, we watched his progress closely. For three days, the satellite data showed him moving steadily forward. Then, unexpectedly, his course changed. The data revealed him turning back towards the coast.
Xolani and the team were able to track his movements precisely and collected him in Hermanus. Rocky was visibly relieved to see a familiar face. Back at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, he devoured sardines and settled into a deep, much-needed sleep. Yet it became clear that something still wasn’t right. Despite his physical recovery, he was not coping as expected, and questions began to weigh heavily on all of us—particularly on Wilfred Chivell, CEO of Marine Dynamics and Founder of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust. If Rocky could not make the journey back to Marion Island, where would he belong? What future could we offer him that was safe, stable, and kind?
Driven by compassion and responsibility, a new plan emerged. Discussions began with Shanet Rutgers-Bowen, Senior Penguin Keeper and Animal Health Technician at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. After final permit arrangements and the preparation of a special penguin nook, Xolani accompanied Rocky to his new home.
It was there that another surprise awaited us. Blood tests revealed that Rocky was, in fact, female—something that can only be confirmed through laboratory testing in penguins. In honour of Wilfred Chivell, and the deep care and concern he had shown for her well-being, the Two Oceans Aquarium kindly renamed her Winifred.
Rocky at the Two Oceans Aquarium.
Winifred settled in well and quickly stole the hearts of everyone who met her. She bonded with her keepers and was surrounded by warmth, care, and affection. Sadly, despite everyone’s best efforts, her small body carried too many unseen challenges.
On 22 December 2025, we received the heartbreaking news that Winifred had passed away. Her final diagnosis was suspected cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, which ultimately led to her passing. In hindsight, we now understand that there was far more wrong with this little girl than anyone could have known at the time, and that she would never have survived the long swim back to Marion Island.
In her honour, Winifred was cremated and given a green burial by the Two Oceans Aquarium, where her ashes were mixed into compost and added to a living plant. A young spekboom now grows strong, carrying a part of her—a living symbol of remembrance, resilience, and renewal.
We are incredibly grateful to Shanet and the entire Two Oceans Aquarium team for their kindness, dedication, and love, and for bringing the beautiful spekboom and tribute certificate of Winifred to Gansbaai. We know Winifred felt safe, cherished, and at peace, and that she passed gently.
Every penguin has a story. At the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, and within the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, we are committed not only to saving lives, but to learning from each one—so that future generations of seabirds may have a better chance.
To infinity and beyond, Winifred.
