Strandfontein, 31 January 2025.
The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) has been alerted to an oil spill along the West Coast. Oil was discovered on the afternoon of 30 January 2025 on the main beaches in Strandfontein. SANCCOB is in communication with authorities including the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), however at this stage the situation is still developing, and we are awaiting more information.
The spill has been detected just south of the Ultra Galaxy, a vessel that ran aground last year, however it remains unclear whether the oil spill is connected to the grounded vessel. No oiled wildlife has been reported at this point, and SANCCOB has not been deployed however our teams are ready to do so. Clean-up operations began yesterday and will continue today, and surveillance operations are underway to search for signs of oil or oiled seabirds.
The proximity of this incident to Bird Island in Lamberts Bay is of primary concern. Strandfontein is just 20 km from Bird Island Nature Reserve which is home to a colony of endangered Cape Gannets. This colony recently peaked at 45,000 individuals, a record high in 19 years according to CapeNature, the conservation managing authority. The colony is one of just 6 breeding colonies in Southern Africa.
The public is advised not to handle or capture birds and is requested to report any sightings of oiled seabirds to SANCCOB Cape Town at 021 557 6155 (daytime hours)/078 638 3731(after-hours).
SANCCOB will continue to provide updates on our involvement and any required response efforts as the situation develops.