Community‑rooted, empathy‑driven action for African penguins on the brink #NotBy2035
| Along the windswept shores of South Africa, a quiet rescue operation is playing out every day, one exhausted, oil-slicked, injured, or starving penguin at a time. Here’s what happens when a bird gets a second chance at life. The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is in crisis Once numbering in the millions, fewer than 10,000 breeding … Read more |
| It’s been a year since the KruShan X-Ray Room opened at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary in Kleinbaai, Gansbaai — a transformative donation from Shannon and Kruger du Plessis of the KruShan Foundation. In just one year, the X-Ray Room has become a hive of activity, providing immediate, on-site diagnostics for African Penguins, seabirds, … Read more |
| Limp Bisket’s journey through the rescue world began in 2021, when he was discovered on Bird Island with devastating seal‑bite injuries to his abdomen and leg. SANCCOB’s Port Elizabeth team pulled him back from the brink, nursing him through infection, pain, and the long, slow work of healing. Against the odds, he recovered—scarred, but strong … Read more |
| Bridges arrived at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary in January 2022 after being found at Danger Point with a dislocated left shoulder caused by a seal bite. The injury left him with limited use of his left flipper, but it never diminished his gentle personality. He is one of their calmest residents, often choosing … Read more |
| There are two Schalks: one penguin and one human. Penguin Schalk’s story begins on a bright November morning in Mossel Bay. It was the kind of morning where the sea looks calm, but life along the coastline is anything but predictable. On November 20, 2025, at National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Station 15, a volunteer … Read more |
| Rocky first arrived at our partner SAPREC’s facility in September 2024. He was hungry, skinny, with severe sunburn, and in an arrested moult. He had to stay out of the sun and have sunscreen applied daily. Rocky fought hard. He gained weight, finished his moult, and in December 2024, our partner released him back into … Read more |
| Rescued in De Kelders, Bob arrived at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary in November 2015. He had been bitten by a dog just above the eyes, which led to a severe infection on his left side. Some skin loss from the infection gives him the look of having a missing eyebrow. He also has … Read more |
| Found at Pearly Beach in October 2017, Carlos came to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary after suffering a seal bite on his left shoulder, which affected the use of his flipper. Carlos has mastered the art of sanctuary living. He’s the penguin equivalent of that friend who loves hanging out but also treasures their … Read more |
| 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 … Read more |
| In July 2025, Sunshine arrived at our partner SAPREC’s facility after surviving a devastating seal attack. His right side had been torn open, leaving muscle and even his shoulder bone exposed. Thanks to the skill of the surgeon, Sunshine’s wounds were carefully repaired, and his long road to recovery began. For weeks, he lived in … Read more |