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Carol de Bruin
Johannesburg
-----Original Message-----
From: Les Underhill <>
To: <>;
<>; <>
Cc: <>
Date: 10 July 2000 07:24
Subject: World's biggest seabird rescue operation progressing well
WWF-SA MEDIA RELEASE
Penguin Update no 8: 10 July 2000
WORLD'S BIGGEST SEABIRD RESCUE OPERATION PROGRESSING
WELL
Peter, Pamela & Percy
Dr Robert Crawford of Marine and Coastal Management announced today
that Peter penguin is swimming off Still Bay, which is approximately
halfway home. If he's keeping up his average speed, he's expected to
be back at Robben Island on 21 July.
Percy (3rd to be released) has almost caught up with Pamela at
Knysna. They are now approaching Cape Fur seal and Great White Shark
territory and it would serve them well to stay way offshore. (To
follow the progress of the three penguins, which are tagged with SAP
Africa-sponsored satellite transmitters, visit the Avian Demography
Unit's website at http://www.uct.ac.za/)
Peter, Pam and Percy are but three of some 20 000 un-oiled penguins
which had been evacuated from Dassen and Robben Islands, transported
to Port Elizabeth (some 900 km away) where they were released and are
now swimming back to their home islands.
Yesterday, a total of 64 heavily-oiled penguins were removed from
Dassen Island and taken to Sanccob. Today, 20 boxes of penguins left
the island for the rehabilitation centre. They were transported by
helicopter due to rough seas. It is estimated that less than 3 500
chicks remain on Dassen Island.
SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal
Birds)
Sanccob now takes care of more than 23 000 birds. Sanccob still needs
committed volunteers - not only to help wash and feed the penguins,
but also to assist with a variety of other tasks. Volunteers who are
willing to work 5-hour shifts at a time, must please phone one of the
following telephone numbers (021) 480 7726 / 29 / 30 / 49 between
8:00 and 19:00.
Donations:
WWF-SA today presented the following with donations to cover their
costs in the penguin rescue operation: Court Helicopters for
evacuating the penguins from Dassen Island by helicopter; Western
Cape Nature Conservation for transporting the un-oiled penguins to
Port Elizabeth by road; and the Avian Demography Unit at the
University of Cape Town for ringing birds prior to their release.
Donations can be forwarded to: WWF Penguin Appeal, WWF-SA, PO Box
456, Stellenbosch 7599, or by direct bank transfer to ABSA
Stellenbosch, Branch code 334410, Account no: 40-5178-1879.
****************************
Professor Les Underhill
Director: Avian Demography Unit
Department of Statistical Sciences
University of Cape Town
Rondebosch 7701 South Africa
Phone +27 21 650 3227 Fax +27 21 650 3434
Web http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/stats/adu/
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