Found a bird? Contact our 24-hour Seabird Rescue Centre
or adopt an egg or chick
undergoing rehabilitation
for release back into the wild
CLICK FOR MORE
VOLUNTEER
It’s an egg-cellent time of the year at SANCCOB when every few days a tiny African Penguin hatches at our Chick Rearing Unit (CRU) in Cape Town. The eggs of this endangered species are brought to our facility by Penguin and Seabird Rangers working at the colonies to monitor the birds, their nesting areas and habitat, and provide important data for our overall research.
Abandoned eggs and those nested in unsafe areas – either too close to the shore line or vulnerable to predation – are incubated at the centre and the chicks are hand-reared until released to the wild. These eggs symbolise the hope for thriving African Penguin colonies and with your support we are able to continue to bolster the wild population.
Adopt an egg for just R300 for yourself or as a gift for someone dear and we will keep it safe and warmly incubated until it pip’s and a tiny chick hatches. You will receive a certificate of adoption and the pride that comes from making your impact to help save an endangered species from extinction.
The first egg of the season was rescued from Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town and was admitted to SANCCOB on the 9th of January. Since then, 13 chicks have hatched in the CRU and 20 eggs are still being incubated. We anticipate 100 to 200 eggs in the next four months if conditions are similar to previous years and we need all the help we can get.
If you adopt an African Penguin egg today then you will be playing an instrumental role in supporting our conservation of this iconic species.
The most recent statistics reveal that there are around 50,000 African Penguins in the wild in South Africa – a critically low number when compared with historic figures of three million in the early 1900s. Our Chick Bolstering Project was implemented in 2011 and more than 7,000 chicks have been hand-reared and released. Research has proven that hand-reared chicks fair as well as those raised in the wild and with your donation to incubate the eggs we are able to give the birds a fighting chance against the odds.
Adopt a penguin egg and continue your partnership with us to reverse the decline of this penguin species, endemic to the African continent. The next time you watch a healthy group of African Penguins in the colonies, you will proudly feel the connection of the gift you make today.
BE PART OF THE NEXT RESCUE
Last winter, caring supporters like you helped us save 30 oiled penguins and their 4 chicks from Bird and St Croix Islands.
The birds were taken to our seabird centre in Cape St Francis, where trained staff and volunteers washed, fed and cared for them for 4-6 weeks, while they regained their strength and the natural waterproofing of their feathers.
The chicks, which were less than three weeks old and weighed only 500 grams, were hand-reared at SANCCOB. All 34 birds were successfully released back into the wild.
WHAT WE DO
SANCCOB saves seabirds
RESCUE
SANCCOB provides a 24/7 rescue service for sick and injured seabirds and abandoned chicks. We respond to oil spill disasters along the South African coastline.
REHABILITATION
SANCCOB is recognised internationally as a leader in the field of seabird rehabilitation. We treat 2500 injured, sick and oiled seabirds annually.
CHICK REARING
Our specialist chick rearing unit saves African penguin eggs and chicks that have been abandoned, for subsequent release back into the wild.
EDUCATION
We offer various engaging lessons for children and adults, including tours of the facilities, presentations and encounters with our Ambassador penguins.
TRAINING
We offer 3 and 6 month internships for adults, as well as a zoo and aquarium keeper exchange programme and veterinary experience courses.
RESEARCH
Ongoing research increases our understanding of seabird species’ behaviour, diseases and other factors that impact on their long-term survival.
LATEST NEWS
Ford Wildlife Foundation Donates New Ford Ranger to SANCCOB for Seabird Rescue and Rehabilitation Issued by Duduzile Nxele of Ford…
Avian Influenza Outbreak in Namibia Avian Influenza was detected in seabirds in South Africa in December 2018, and sadly, the…
Reducing Food Insecurity for the African Penguin SANCCOB’s work has always focused on species survival but as large-scale marine ecosystem…
HOW TO HELP
FOUND A BIRD?
all us any time of the day or night. SANCCOB is a 24-hour Seabird Rescue Centre and will respond to all seabirds in distress, including African Penguins, Cape Gannets, Terns, Cormorants, Seagulls, Oystercatchers, Albatrosses, Petrels, Pelicans and other marine birds.
CAPE TOWN
+27 (0)21 557 6155
+27 (0) 78 638 3731 (after hours & weekends)
PORT ELIZABETH
+27 (0)41 583 1830
Depending on the nature of the injury and the location of the seabird, we will dispatch one of our own Rescue Units, offer stabilisation advice or put you in contact with the nearest organisation that can assist.
What to do when you find an injured/sick/oiled seabird:
- Please approach any seabird with care – some, such as Cape Gannets and African Penguins, have sharp beaks.
- Have with you a towel or blanket and wear protection over your hands and eyes.
- Throw the towel or blanket over the bird to catch it, ensuring that the bird is able to breathe.
- Place the bird in a large box if you have one, after first ensuring that there are holes for air.
- Keep the bird in a warm quiet place until help arrives
