New hope for African Penguin population

CAPE TOWN - A new seabird nursery that has opened in Table View, Cape Town, has high hopes of helping grow the number of African penguins.

The birds are listed as critically endangered—and factors such as threats to food security and climate change have been blamed for the drop in population numbers. 

The Pamela Isdell Nursery will help to incubate African penguin eggs while also rearing orphaned chicks.

Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) Head of Conservation Nicky Stander says this new facility will have a larger capacity for eggs.

“We now have more artificial incubators for the abandoned eggs, and we have a lot more space inside and outside enclosures for small penguin chicks to move around, and while they are still fluffy, they will remain in this chick nursery,” said Stander.