We’re thrilled to announce a new partnership with SAPREC, the Seabird and African Penguin Rehabilitation Center in Mossel Bay, South Africa. Founded by Carol Walton in 2005, SAPREC has become a lifeline for African penguins along a critical stretch of South Africa’s southern coast.
With the nearest seabird rehabilitation centers located 2.5 hours away in Plettenberg Bay and 4 hours away in Gansbaai, SAPREC fills a vital gap, providing care and protection across 222 km of coastline, from Stilbaai to Plettenberg.
Carol’s journey began at SANCCOB, where she first volunteered and quickly fell in love with African penguins—so deeply, she jokes she loved them more than her husband (they’re still happily married, by the way). Her passion led her to become SANCCOB’s manager, where she mastered penguin husbandry and witnessed the species’ alarming decline: from 2 million individuals a century ago to just 7,500 breeding pairs today.
After leaving SANCCOB, Carol and her husband relocated to Mossel Bay. Word spread fast: The Penguin Lady had arrived. Locals began bringing injured and stranded birds to her doorstep, and Carol responded with action. She transformed her garage into a makeshift hospital and enlisted the help of a nearby veterinarian, who still supports her work to this day. That same vet offered land, and on it, Carol built a full-fledged rehabilitation center.
In August 2025, SAPREC celebrated 20 years of lifesaving care, community trust, and unwavering commitment. Carol’s legacy is powered not just by expertise, but by empathy and by a loyal team of passionate, unpaid volunteers who’ve stood by her side for years. She continues to train new volunteers, passing on her knowledge and love for the environment to the next generation.
Cooperation not competition
After rehabilitation, Carol or one of her volunteers, transports the African penguins to our partner, the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS), for release back into the wild where they take a 30-minute boat trip to join the African penguin colony on Dyer Island. It’s a beautiful example of what’s possible when organizations unite around what’s best for the birds.
A partnership rooted in empathy
We’re proud to stand with SAPREC in a partnership rooted in empathy, humility, and shared purpose. Carol Walton and her team are true unsung heroes. Together, we’re continuing a movement that refuses to accept extinction as inevitable, and instead chooses hope, community, and action.
Read more about Saprec.