Learn by Visiting Our SANCCOB Seabird Rehabilitation Centres

Most recent publications of 2023

• Roberts LC, Molini U, Coetzee LM, Khaiseb S, Roux J-P, Kemper J, Roberts DG, Ludynia K, Doherr M, Abernethy D, Franzo G (2023) Is penguin Circovirus circulating only in the Antarctic circle? Lack of viral detection in Namibia. Animal
• Vanstreels RET, Fernandes Chagas CR, Valkiūnas G, dos Anjos CC, Parsons NJ, Roberts DG, Snyman A, Hurtado R, Kirchgatter K, Ludynia K, Pistorius PA (2023) Haemoproteus jenniae (Haemoproteidae, Haemosporida) infects gulls (Larus spp.) in South Africa, with redescription of Haemoproteus skuae. Parasitology
• Vanstreels RET, Parsons NJ, Sherley RB, Stander N, Strauss V, Kemper J, Waller LJ, Barham BJ, Ludynia K (2023) Factors determining the number of seabirds impacted by oil spills and the success of their rehabilitation: lessons learned from Namibia and South Africa. Marine Pollution Bulletin
• Roberts LC, Abolnik C, Waller LJ, Shaw K, Ludynia K, Roberts DG, Kock AA, Makhado AB, Snyman A, Abernethy DA (2023). Descriptive epidemiology and management of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) epidemic in South African coastal birds, 2018. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
• Phillips J, Ludynia K, Waller LJ, Barham PJ, Mdluli A, Klusener R, Maneveldt GW (2023) Initial evaluation of the care and rehabilitation success of Cape Cormorants (Phalacrocorax capensis) rescued from Robben and Jutten islands, South Africa, in January 2021. Ostrich

Health assessments, blood parasites and diseases

• Urofaecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) chick populations experiencing different levels of human disturbance. (Scheun J, Miller RJ, Ganswindt A, Waller LJ, Pichegru L, Sherley RB & Maneveldt GM. 2021)
• Non-invasive hormone monitoring as a robust method for determining adrenocortical activity in injured, emaciated and oil-contaminated African penguins undergoing rehabilitation. (Scheun J, Ludynia K, Snyman A & Ganswindt A. 2021)
• Outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in African penguins Spheniscus demersus. (Hurtado R, Parsons NJ, Gous TA, Van Der Spuy S, Klusener R, Stander N, Van Wilpe E & Vanstreels RET. 2020)
• Intercolony health evaluation of wild African penguins Spheniscus demersus, in relation to parasites, along the southwest coast of South Africa. (Espinaze MPA, Hui C, Waller L & Matthee S. 2020)
• Nest-type associated microclimatic conditions as potential drivers of ectoparasite infestations in African penguin nests. (Espinaze MPA, Hui C, Waller L & Matthee S. 2020)
• Determinants of external and blood parasite load in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) admitted for rehabilitation. (Snyman A, Vanstreels RET, Nell C, Schaefer AM, Stracke T, Parsons NJ, Ludynia K & Pistorius PA. 2020)
• The efficacy of a modified Berlese funnel method for the extraction of ectoparasites and their life stages from the nests of the African Penguin Spheniscus demersus. (Espinaze M, Hui C, Waller L & Matthee S. 2019
• Parasite diversity associated with African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) and the effect of host and environmental factors. (Espinaze M, Hui C, Waller L, Dreyer F & Matthee S. 2019)
• Empirical Primaquine Treatment of Avian Babesiosis in Seabirds. (Vanstreels RET, Hurtado R, Snyman A, Roberts DG, Parsons NJ & Pistorius PA. 2019)
• A novel candidate species of Anaplasma that infects avian erythrocytes.(Vanstreels
  RET, Yablsey MJ, Parsons NJ, Swanepoel L & Pistorius PA (2018).
• Spread of H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in sub-Saharan Africa:
  epidemiological and ecological observations. (Khomenko S, Abolnik C, Roberts L, Waller L, Shaw K, Monne I, Taylor J, Dhingra M, Pittiglio C, Mugyeom M, Roche X, Frederick K, Kamata A, Okuthe S, Kone P, Wiersma L, von Dobschuetz S, Soumare B, Makonnen Y, Morzaria S & Lubroth J. 2018)
• Molecular characterization of Babesia peircei and Babesia ugwidiensis provides insight into the ecolution and host specific of avian piroplasmids.(Yabsley MJ, Vanstreels RET, Shock BC, Purdee M, Horne EC, Peirce MA & Parsons NJ. 2017)
• Conservation implications of avian malaria exposure for African penguins during rehabilitation.(Botes A, Thiart H, Parsons NJ & Bellstedt DU. 2017)
• Novel vagrant records and occurrence of vector-borne pathogens in king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) in South Africa.(Parsons NJ, Gous TA, Cranfield MR, Cheng LI, Schultz A, Horne E, Last RP, Lampen F, Ludynia K, Bousfield B, Strauss V, Peirce MA & Vanstreels. RET. 2017)
• Seabird disease surveillance guidelines.(Parsons NJ. 2015)
• Southern African Seabird Colony Disease Risk Assessment.(Parsons NJ. 2016)
• Occurrence of blood parasites in seabirds admitted for rehabilitation in the Western Cape, South Africa.(Parsons NJ, Voogt NM, Schaefer AM, Peirce MA & Vanstreels RET. 2017)
• Health evaluation of African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) in southern Africa.(Parsons NJ, Gous TA, Schaefer AM & Vanstreels RET. 2016)
• Herpesvirus-like respiratory infection in African penguins Spheniscus demersus admitted to a rehabilitation centre.(Parsons NJ, Gous TA, van Wilpe E, Strauss V & Vanstreels RET. 2015)
• Establishment of baseline haematology and biochemistry parameters in wild adult African penguins.(Parsons NJ, Schaefer AM, van der Spuy SD & Gous TA. 2015)
• Lead and Cadmium in the Blood of Nine Species of Seabirds, Marion Island, South Africa.(Summers CF, Bowerman WW, Parsons NJ, Chao WY & Bridges WC Jr. 2014)
• Babesia ugwidiensis, a new species of avian piroplasm from Phalacrocoracidae in South Africa. (Peirce MA & Parsons NJ. 2012)
• Novel relapsing fever Borrelia detected in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) admitted to two rehabilitation centers in South Africa.(Yabsley MJ, Parsons NJ, Horne EC, Shock BC & Purdee M. 2012)
• New species of haematozoa in Phalacrocoracidae and Stercorariidae in South Africa.(Parsons NJ, Peirce MA & Strauss V. 2010)
• Plasmodium juxtanucleare causing mortality in black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus) at a rehabilitation center. (Grim KC, Van der Merwe E, Sullivan M, Parsons NJ, McCutchan TF & Cranfield MR. 2003)

Seabird Rehabilitation

• Update on the cormorant rescue in Promerops No. 321 (Ludynia K. 2021)
• The great Cape cormorant rescue in Promerops No. 320 (Ludynia K. 2021)
• Intensive Care at SANCCOB – a look behind the scenes in Pomerops No. 319 (Roberts DG. 2021)
• The Treasure Oil Spill – 20 years on. What one of the largest animal rescue missions in history can tell us about wildlife response preparedness. (Kelway P & Stander NJ. 2020)
• Hand Rearing Birds: African penguins. (Stander NJ & Klusener R. In: Duerr RS, Gage LJ (eds). 2020)
• From incubation to release: Hand-rearing as a tool for the conservation of the endangered African penguin. (Klusener R, Hurtado R, Parsons NJ, Vanstreels RET, Stander N, van der Spuy S & Ludynia K. 2018)
• Prognostic indicators of rehabilitation outcomes for adult African penguins. (Parsons NJ, Vanstreels RET & Schaefer AM. 2018)
• First report of a hatched, hand-reared, and released African oystercatcher. (Klusener R, Hurtado R, Stander N & Parsons NJ. 2018)
• Hand-rearing, release and survival of African penguin chicks abandoned before independence by moulting parents. (Sherley RB, Waller LJ, Strauss V, Geldenhuys D, Underhill LG & Parsons NJ. 2014)
• Female-biased mortality of African penguins admitted to a rehabilitation facility. (Pichegru L & Parsons NJ. 2014)
• Feather-loss Disorder in African and Magellanic Penguins. (Kane OJ, Smith JR, Boersma PD, Parsons NJ, Strauss V, Garcia-Borboroglu P & Villanueva C. 2010)
• The rehabilitation of Swift Terns Sterna bergii incapacitated by marine foam on Robben Island, South Africa. (Parsons NJ, Tjørve KMC, Underhill LG & Strauss V. 2006)
• The conservation status and impact of oiling on the African Penguin In: Rehabilitation of oiled African Penguins: a conservation success story. (Nel DC & Whittington PA (eds).) (Nel DC, Crawford RJM & Parsons NJ. 2003)

African penguins in the wild

• Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Case Study: Helping African penguins adapt to Climate change. IPCC WGII Sixth Assessment Report (2022)
• Aquatic birds have middle ears adapted to amphibious lifestyles. (Zeyl JN, Snelling E, Connan M, Basille M, Clay TA, Joo R, Phillips SPR, Pistorius P, Ryan P, Snyman A & Clusella-Trullas S. 2022)
• A four-legged African penguin Spheniscus demersus chick. (Snyman A, Roberts DG & Ludynia K. 2022)
• New nest boxes for African penguins at Boulders, Table Mountain National Park. (Van Wilgen-Bredenkamp N, Ludynia K, Rodgers F, Kock A & Foden W. 2021)
• A new project on the at-sea communication of African penguins. SANCOR Newsletter 225. (Thiebault A, McInnes A, Carpenter-Kling T, Ludynia K, Pichegru L & Charrier I. 2021)
• Passive acoustic monitoring of the endangered African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) using autonomous recording units and ecoacoustic indices. (Favaro L, Cresta E, Friard OP, Ludynia K, Mathevon N, Pichegru L, Reby D & Gamba M. 2021)
• The conservation status and population decline of the African penguin deconstructed in space and time. (Sherley RB, Crawford RJM, de Bloque AD, Dyer BM, Geldenhuys D, Hagen C, Kemper J, Makhado AB, Pichegru L, Tom D, Upfold L, Visagie J, Waller LJ & Winker H. 2020)
• Identification of land predators of African Penguins Spheniscus demersus through post-mortem examination. (Vanstreels RET, Parsons NJ, McGeorge C, Hurtado R, Ludynia K, Waller L, Ruthenburg M, Purves A, Pichegru L & Pistorius PA. 2019)
• Seashell and debris ingestion by African penguins. (Vanstreels RET, Pichegru L, Pfaff MC, Snyman A, Dyer BM, Parsons NJ, Roberts DG, Ludynia K, Makhado A & Pistorius PA. 2019)
• Ships’ risky fuel transfer are threatening African penguins. The Conversation. (Ryan P, Ludynia K & Pichegru L. 2019)
• Applying science to pressing conservation needs for penguins. (Boersma PD, Garcia Borboroglu P, Gownaris NJ, Bost CA, Chiaradia A, Ellis S, Schneider T, Seddon PJ, Simeone A, Trathan PN, Waller LJ & Wienecke B. 2019)
• Happy Feet in a Hostile World? The Future of Penguins Depends on Proactive Management of Current and Expected Threats. (Ropert-Coudert Y, Chiaradia A, Ainley D, Barbosa A, Boersma PD, Brasso R, Dewar M, Ellenberg U, Garcia Borboroglu P, Emmerson L, Hickcox R, Jenouvrier S, Kato A, McIntosh RR, Lewis P, Ramirez F, Ruoppolo V, Ryan PG, Seddon PJ, Sherley RB, Vanstreels RE, Waller L, Woehler EJ & Trathan PN. 2019)
• Local forage fish abundance influences foraging effort and offspring condition in an endangered marine predator. (Campbell K, Steinfurth A, Underhill LG, Coetzee J, Crawford RJM, Dyer B, Ludynia K, Makhado A, Merkle D, Rademan J, Upfold L & Sherley R. 2019)
• A three-legged African penguin Spheniscus demersus. Marine Ornithology 46: 23-26 (Vanstreels RET, Parsons NJ, Pistorius PA. 2018)
• Nasal mites (Mesostigmata: Rhinonyssidae) in African penguins (Spheniscus demersus).
  Parasitology. (Vanstreels RET, Proctor H, Snyman A, Hurtado R, Ludynia K, Parsons NJ, Pistorius PA. 2018)
• Prognostic indicators of rehabilitation outcomes for adult African penguins (Parsons, N.J., Vanstreels, R.E.T., Schaefer, A.M. 2018)
• Tangled and drowned: A global review of penguin bycatch in fisheries. Endangered
  Species Research 34:373-396 (Crawford R, Ellenberg U, Frere E, Hagen C, Baird K, Brewin P, Crofts S, Glass J, Mattern T, Pompert J, Ross K, Kemper J, Ludynia K, Sherley RB, Steinfurth A, Suazo C, Yorio P, Tamini L, Mangel J, Bugoni L, Jimenez-Uzcategui G, Simeone A, Luna-Jorquera G, Gandini P, Woehler E, Pütz K, Dann P, Chiaradia A, Small C. 2017)
• Metapopulation tracking juvenile penguins reveals an ecosystem-wide ecological trap (Sherley, RB, Ludynia, K, Dyer, B, Makhado, A, Lamont, T, Makhado, AB, Roux, JP, Scales, KL, Underhill, LG & Votier, SC. 2017)
• Sex determination of African penguins Spheniscus demersus using bill measurements: method comparisons and implications for use (Robinson, KJ, Farah, D, Collins, S & Parsons, NJ. 2016)
• Penguins’ perilous conservation status calls for complementary approach based on sound ecological principles: reply to Butterworth et al. (2015) (Weller, F, Sherley, RB, Shannon, LJ, Jarre, A, Stewart, T, Scott, L, Cecchini, LA, Crawford, RJM, Geldenhuys, D, Ludynia, K & Waller, LJ. 2016)
• System dynamics modelling of the Endangered African penguin populations on Robben and Dyer islands, South Africa (Weller, F, Sherley, RB, Waller, LJ, Ludynia, K, Geldenhuys, D, Shannon, LJ & Jarre, A. 2016)
• Processes influencing the population dynamics and conservation of African penguins at Dyer Island, South Africa (Ludynia, K, Waller, L, Sherley, R, Abadi, F, Galada, Y, Geldenhuys, D, Crawford, RJM, Shannon, LJ & Jarre A. 2014)
• Age-specific survival and movement among major African penguin colonies (Sherley, RB, Abadi, F, Ludynia, K, Barham, BJ, Clark, AE & Altwegg, R. 2014)
• The initial journey of an endangered penguin: implications for seabird conservation (Sherley, R, Ludynia, K, Lamont, T, Roux, J-P, Crawford, RJM & Underhill LG. 2013)
• Surviving off junk: Low-energy prey dominates the diet of African penguins Spheniscus demersus at Mercury Island, Namibia, between 1996 and 2009 (Ludynia, K, Roux, J-P, Jones, R, Kemper, J & Underhill, LG. 2010

Other seabirds (and coastal birds) in Southern Africa

• Change in moult behaviour of African penguins Spheniscus demersus on Robben Island. (Mdluli A & Barham PJ. 2022)
• First breeding record of Pintado petrel (Daption capensis) at Marion Island. (Masotla MJ, Snyman A, Makhado AB & Dyer BM. 2019)
• Storms and heat limit the nest success of Bank Cormorants: implications of future climate change for a surface-nesting seabird in southern Africa (Sherley, R, Ludynia, K, Underhill, LG, Jones, R & Kemper, J. 2012)
• Geographic variation in the trophic ecology of an avian rocky shore predator, the African Black Oystercatcher along the southern African coastline (Kohler, SA, Connan, M, Hill, JM, Mablouké, C, Bonnevie, B, Ludynia, K, Kemper, J, Huisamen, J, Underhill, LG, Cherel, Y, McQuaid, CD & Jaquemet, S. 2011)
• Foraging behaviour of bank cormorants in Namibia: implications for conservation (Ludynia, K, Jones, R, Kemper, J, Garthe, S & Underhill, LG. 2010)
• Monitoring seabirds in the BCLME – Data collection manual. In: SP Kirkman (ed.) Final Report of the BCLME (Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem) Project on Top Predators as Biological Indicators of Ecosystem Change in the BCLME (Kemper, J, Braby, J, Dyer, B, James, J, Jones, R, Ludynia, K, Mullers, R, Roux, J.-P, Underhill, L & Wolfaardt, A. 2007)