Update on Oiled African Penguin Recovery in Algoa Bay 

Seven severely oiled African penguins are kept in a quiet area where they can be stabilised and continuously monitored by skilled SANCCOB staff. 

Gqeberha, 17 September 2024 – The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) continues its efforts in response to the ongoing oil spill in Algoa Bay. This past weekend, six more African penguins were admitted to the seabird hospital, bringing the total number of oiled birds in recovered to twelve. Sadly, one of the newly rescued penguins, severely emaciated and dehydrated, did not survive. The remaining eleven birds are being stabilised. As oiled birds are incredibly stressed, we must ensure that they are as stabilised before we proceed to remove the oil. 

The cause of the oil spill, which occurred on 7 September 2024, remains under investigation. Efforts to assess the environmental impact through air, land, and boat-based surveillance continue.

The African penguin population has been in sharp decline for decades, largely due to factors such as lack of food availability and underwater noise pollution caused by ship-to-ship fuel bunkering in the area. Oil spills compound these threats, putting this already endangered species in a more precarious position. The African penguin population at St Croix Island is particularly threatened and cannot afford further environmental stress.

A clearly emaciated African penguin, being assessed by the SANCCOB team. Unfortunately, despite SANCCOB’s best efforts, one emaciated penguin did not survive. 

If you would like to help, SANCCOB is looking for volunteers to assist with support functions such as food preparation for the birds, cleaning of equipment, and laundry. The public is encouraged to remain vigilant and report any further sightings of oiled seabirds to SANCCOB Gqeberha at 041 583 1830 or via the emergency after hours line at 064 019 8936.