The De Hoop Nature Reserve penguin colony continues to thrive, with newer groups of this endangered species being introduced recently.
Penguin colony thrives in Western Cape
Over the past two years, exactly 148 juvenile African penguins were released into De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape, in a bid to establish a new breeding colony of these endangered seabirds.
The penguins came from existing colonies, most hatched from abandoned eggs rescued at the Stony Point penguin colony in Betty’s Bay, where they had been left by their parents as eggs or chicks. These hatchlings were then hand-reared by the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).
With the collaborative efforts made by partners on the project, BirdLife South Africa, CapeNature and SANCCOB, the penguins are now thriving.
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A new protected site
According to SANCCOB, in 2015, BirdLife South Africa began investigating whether it would be possible to establish new African Penguin colonies, and the De Hoop colony was chosen as an ideal candidate site. A small colony of penguins had already established at the De Hoop Nature Reserve in 2003 but predation by caracal caused them to abandon the colony a few years later.
To ensure their safety this time round, BirdLife South Africa designed and constructed a predator-proof fence.
Together with this new protective fence, the site also boasts an abundance of fish, and since the initial release, five other groups have been introduced. Adult penguins have also arrived naturally at the site, indicating that the area is ideal for sustaining a penguin colony that will assist in the continuation of the species.
