Seabird Conservation

AFRICAN PENGUIN

The African Penguin (Spheniscus Demersus), Africa’s only extant penguin, is endemic to Namibia and South Africa. It was formerly the most abundant seabird of the Benguela upwelling ecosystem but, following large declines of the species in the 20th century and a collapse of the South African population in the present century, is now classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and under TOPS (NEMA). In addition to biodiversity concerns, African Penguins (and other seabirds) are important in regional economies (e.g., through attracting tourism) and in the healthy functioning of ecosystems. 

More than 50,000 pairs of African Penguins bred in South Africa in 2004 but this declined to approximately 13,000 pairs in 2019. In 2016, the status of the African Penguin was re-assessed according to the IUCN Red Listing criteria and its classification as Critically Endangered was maintained (IUCN 2016). Such is the rate of decline of the African Penguin, that it has been identified as one of three species of penguins globally that are in critical need of urgent conservation action. The population declined again in 2021 with South African populations at approximately 10,000 pairs, while Namibia has recorded around 4,000 breeding pairs of African Penguins in the same year. The most recent census in South Africa revealed an alarming decline since; around 8,300 pairs are all that remain. 

CAPE CORMORANT

Cape Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Capensis) are endemic to the Benguela Upwelling System, which means they only breed in Angola, Namibia and South Africa. Due to a decline in numbers of breeding pairs over the last three generations (the last 30 years) by over 50%, the species has been listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN in 2013. The largest colonies are on Ichaboe Island, Namibia and Dyer Island, South Africa. In recent years, Cape Cormorants have been observed breeding further to the east, reaching Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape, presumably following fish availability Cape Cormorants have also been observed breeding in southern Angola, however little is known about the exact numbers and trends at these breeding sites. 

Cape Cormorants, like some of the other seabird species, suffer from lack of food as their main prey, sardines and anchovies are scarce in southern African waters. Cape Cormorants are also affected by disease outbreaks; between 2002 and 2006, over 30,000 Cape Cormorants died due to an Avian Cholera outbreak on Dyer Island. In 2021, Cape Cormorants were the main species affected by an outbreak of Avian Influenza in South Africa where more than 24,000 Cape Cormorants died or had to be euthanised due to the outbreak. SANCCOB was heavily involved in this disease response and assisted managing authorities on the ground with dealing with the outbreak.  

CAPE GANNET

Cape Gannets (Morus Capensis) only breed on six islands worldwide: three in Namibia (Mercury, Ichaboe and Possession islands) and three in South Africa (Bird (Lambert’s Bay), Malgas and Bird (Algoa Bay) islands). In the 1950s, most Cape Gannets bred in Namibia but since the late 1990s, over 80% of all Cape Gannets worldwide breed in South Africa, with Bird Island in Algoa Bay being by far the largest colony (recent estimates are around 80,000 breeding pairs). Due to a decline of over 50% of the number of breeding pairs in the last three generations the species was classified as Endangered by the IUCN in 2018.

Main reasons for the decline of Cape Gannets both in Namibia and South Africa is the lack of their main prey items, sardines. Sardine stocks collapsed in Namibia in the 1960s and 1970s, leading to a dramatic decline of several seabird species, including Cape Gannets and African Penguins. In South Africa, recent changes in sardine distribution and a depletion of sardine stocks along the West Coast of South Africa have led to a decline in numbers of breeding Cape Gannets on the two West Coast colonies (Lambert’s Bay and Malgas Island, Saldanha Bay). Cape Gannets are also threatened by oil spills; in 1983, 5,000 Cape Gannets were oiled when a tanker caught fire in Saldanha Bay, close to the breeding colony on Malgas Island. More recently, SANCCOB rehabilitated over 170 oiled Cape Gannets after a spill in the Eastern Cape and Cape Gannets were also oiled in the most recent spills in Algoa Bay as result of fuel ship-to-ship bunkering.

BANK CORMORANT

The Bank Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Neglectus) is classified as Endangered, a seabird endemic to southern Africa. Over 80% of the world’s population is currently breeding in a single colony on Mercury Island, Namibia, hosting over 2,000 Bank Cormorant pairs. Colonies in South Africa are all smaller than 100 breeding pairs, this species can be found along the Cape Columbine and Yzerfontein coastline (West Coast), on Robben Island and at Stony Point colony.

Bank Cormorants’ main diet mostly consists of Rock lobster, a prey species that has been dramatically depleted and birds struggle to find sufficient food. Bank Cormorants in Namibia have switched their diet to bearded goby, an abundant but low energy fish species that is now the main prey for Bank Cormorants and African Penguins.

Conservation Initiatives

Namibian Seabird Conservation

SANCCOB continues to spread its wings across the geographical range of many endemic seabirds, such as the African Penguin, by partnering with the Debmarine-Namdeb Foundation, Namibian Chamber of Environment, Namibia Nature Foundation, African Penguin Conservation Project and The Maryland Zoo, to form the Namibian Foundation for the Conservation of Birds (NAMCOB).

Namibia’s coastline is home to a wide diversity of wildlife, with many endemic seabird species. Seabirds are an integral element of biodiversity and serve as key indicators because they are visible and are top predators, of the state and health of the marine ecosystem. The Namibian Islands’ Marine Protected Area (NIMPA) was proclaimed in 2009, stretching 400 km along the southern Namibian coast, covering almost 10,000 km2 with a key objective to protect the breeding sites and main foraging areas of seabirds along Namibia’s coast. Unfortunately, a draft management plan has not yet been implemented, there is a lack of human capacity and insufficient funding in the marine conservation sector in Namibia, so the NIMPA is ineffective and not fulfilling its mission.

NAMIBIAN SEABIRD CONSERVATION​

The Namibian crash of sardine and anchovy stocks more than five decades ago showed the shift of productive upwelling ecosystem to a less efficient system dominated by poor-value species like the bearded goby; contributing to the dramatic decline in the populations of the African penguin (>50% since the 1970’s), the Cape gannet (90% since the 1970’s), and the Cape Cormorant (>50% in the last three decades). The main threats facing seabirds in Namibia include a lack of food availability, marine oil pollution, and habitat loss. Disease also poses a threat after highly pathogenic Avian Influenza killed over 500 adult African penguins in 2019.

The project aims to establish a new national non-government organisation (NGO), the Namibian Foundation for the Conservation of Seabirds (NAMCOB) in Lüderitz. NAMCOB’s founding members are from the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), Debmarine Namdeb Foundation, Namibian Chamber of Environment (NCE), Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF), African Penguin Conservation Project, and Maryland Zoo, USA. The mission of the project is to have a net positive impact on biodiversity and the sustainability of the Namibian marine environment through the protection and conservation of endangered seabirds. The project will be based in Lüderitz but will also focus on mitigation measures against threats facing seabird species along the entire Namibian coastline.

NAMCOB will work with the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to support conservation activities including monitoring of key seabird colonies, protected area monitoring, oil spill preparedness, and community engagement and awareness activities. Increasing in-country capacity will assist government with urgent research necessary for the management of NIMPA, especially through accurate annual census counts of important seabird populations that address data gaps in understanding population trends. Analysis of this data leads to evaluation of the overall health of the marine ecosystem.

Two of the major threats facing Africa’s seabirds are oil pollution and lack of food caused by overfishing and climate change. To conserve the marine environment, we will advocate for improved sustainable fishing practices (specifically extending the current moratorium on sardine and pilchard fishing quotas) to ensure this resource regains a healthy sustainable threshold. To minimise the risk of oil on seabirds, we will advocate for protection of important marine colonies from potentially devastating oil spills, oil spill risk assessments are done, and effective contingency plans are in place. The establishment of a non-profit organisation dedicated to seabird conservation in Namibia will be a key facilitator in enabling this vital policy advocacy with both the Government of Namibia and other key stakeholders. The first phase of this project is complete and includes the drafting of a national oiled wildlife contingency plan, oiled wildlife response equipment stockpiles, and ensuring personnel are trained in seabird first response and stabilisation.

Going forward, our aim is to establish a specialised marine facility that will form a hub for research, education, and awareness activities, and will attract further visitors to the area. The new centre will be used to promote Lüderitz as a tourist destination and contribute to an improved economy.

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AZA SAFE African penguin programme

Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) facilities have joined forces to develop various projects, from improving disaster response protocols for oil spills to constructing artificial nests to address population declines caused by overfishing, habitat degradation, and oil spills. AZA member organisations are working together and alongside their partners to help Save Animals From Extinction (SAFE).

The goal of the SAFE African Penguin programme is to halt the decline of the species using a multi-faceted approach with projects that address the major issues threatening its extinction. Much of the Programme’s work so far has been done in South Africa, where there is easier access to the colonies than Namibia’s remote island breeding colonies.

Since 2016, the SAFE African Penguin disaster response project has assisted with implementing national and colony specific wildlife disaster response plans in South Africa, provided equipment to aid in the capture and stabilisation of endangered penguins, and rehabilitation equipment to be stored in key strategic locations. The work plan includes developing training curriculums and facilitating the training of key first responders in safety, wildlife handling, capture, hazing techniques, and stabilisation of African penguins before transportation to SANCCOB. Post-spill research, including long-term health effects, breeding and life expectancy of oiled penguins is also included in the work plan.

SAFE African Penguin also funded response to the avian influenza outbreak in Namibia by paying for sampling, transportation of samples, and consulting with veterinary staff. Interacting with colleagues in Namibia increased awareness of the biological value of the Namibian population and the limited resources available there for monitoring or rescuing penguins and other seabirds.

De Hoop Penguin Colony

African Penguins preferred prey, sardine has shifted their distribution, causing a mismatch between penguin breeding colonies and fish distribution. Most penguin colonies, which historically were the largest, are on the west coast of South Africa, while the fish have shifted south and eastwards onto the Agulhas Bank. There is a 600 km stretch of coastline between Dyer Island colony and the Algoa Bay colonies in Gqeberha where there are no colonies, and therefore no breeding penguins, which effectively splits the South African population in two.

BirdLife South Africa is attempting to establish a penguin colony, which will be protected from predators, on the south coast mainland at De Hoop Nature Reserve. The aim is to create resilience in the penguin population by increasing the number of colonies and bridge the gap between the west and east populations. SANCCOB are members of the project Steering Committee, providing technical input into the planning and logistics for the release of hand-reared African Penguin chicks at the De Hoop site. Several releases of penguins have taken place since 2021; it is now a waiting game to test whether these individuals indeed imprinted on the release site and will therefore return to undergo moult and their first breeding season.

Following the recent installation of a ground reader to detect microchipped African Penguins, five African Penguins that were released as fledglings returned to the site. These birds are still too young to breed but might be seeking out potential breeding sites. Read more here.