On Wednesday 12 November, it was time for another 12 African penguin chicks and one adult to be released back on Dyer Island, their home colony. These little ones had been removed from the island by conservation partners, CapeNature and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust/APSS teams, because their parents were moulting and unable to care for them. With the dire situation facing African Penguins, every bird counts—and intervention is essential.
Awaiting the return of the 13 African Penguins to Dyer Island.
The tiniest chick, which arrived at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary a month ago, weighing a mere 970 grams, has now grown to a healthy 3 kilograms, thanks to dedicated care, love, and plenty of high-quality fish. Under the expert guidance of Senior Bird Rehabilitator Xolani Lawu, his team, and veterinarian Dr Annamarie Roberts, the chicks learned to swim and were ready for release, and their first ever ocean swim.
Giving the team a final check at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary.
However, with a big swell rolling in around Dyer Island, the Marine Dynamics – Dyer Island Conservation Trust teams had to adjust plans to make the release possible quickly. The precious cargo was loaded onto one of the smallest Marine Dynamics vessels, Happy Feet, specifically used for emergency collections and drop-offs on Dyer Island. With limited space on board, Marine Biologist Amy Webber and Skipper Dickie Chivell were the only two crew members for this special event.
This successful release follows the ongoing 2025 African Penguin Chick Baby Boom, a period when adult penguins undergo their annual moult. During moulting, adults cannot swim or feed, leaving chicks vulnerable if breeding and moulting phases overlap.
“The penguin life cycle is beautifully timed by nature, but human impacts and environmental pressures mean that some chicks can’t survive without our intervention,” explains Wilfred Chivell, CEO of Marine Dynamics and Founder of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust. “These birds are the honey badgers of the ocean—resilient, feisty, and utterly remarkable—but they’ve been decimated by overfishing, predation, and habitat loss. Every chick we can save counts.”
Since the start of chick season, 32 chicks have been safely removed from Dyer Island for care at the sanctuary. Feeding and caring for them is resource-intensive:
- Each day, the chick crèche consumes six boxes of premium sardines.
- Feeding requires firm sardines from trusted suppliers, costing approximately R150 per box.
Once the chicks reach the required weight and are declared healthy, they are carefully returned to Dyer Island, where they may rejoin their families.
The sanctuary could not carry out this work without loyal supporters. A special thank you goes to Shannon and Kruger du Plessis. After hearing this story, they immediately launched a fundraising campaign, raising just under R30,000 to help feed these “pooping troopers.” This batch of penguins is now big, strong, and shiny-coated—ready to brave the open seas—thanks to you, KruShan Foundation!
African Penguin populations continue to decline sharply. From 141,000 breeding pairs in 1956 to just 19,000 pairs today, the species has lost nearly 90% of its numbers in 50 years.
“At the APSS, we can provide care, food, and clean habitats—but it’s through the generosity of the public and supporters like the KruShan Foundation that we can do this vital work,” Xolani added.
Every act of support helps secure the future of these charismatic birds and protects a vital part of South Africa’s natural heritage.
This post originally appeared here: https://dict.org.za/blog/braving-the-swell-african-penguin-release-update-the-african-penguin-and-seabird-sanctuary-kleinbaai-gansbaai/