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Hosted on APAD, the 13th Annual Penguin Festival was held at the picturesque Boulders Beach penguin colony in Simon”s Town and kicked off with a much anticipated beach release of 12 rehabilitated African penguins back into the wild. Close to 800 onlookers witnessed the moving event as the penguins waddled their way back into the ocean. Most of these penguins were rescued by SANParks (Boulders Beach colony) and CapeNature (Stony Point colony) due to malnourishment and dehydration and admitted to SANCCOB”s seabird centre in Cape Town for rehabilitation.

Following the release, festival goers of all ages headed to the festival area for various interactive games and displays including a penguin show, a live treasure hunt for kids and a South African Sustainable Seafood (SASSI) fishing game. Ending off the festival, teams Smoke, Sweat and Tears and Delicious Foodies from The Ultimate Braai Master sponsored by Pick “n Pay showed the crowd how to have a mouth-watering braai by only using SASSI-approved sustainable seafood ingredients.

The annual SANCCOB Benefit Auction was held the following week on 15 October at the Commodore Hotel in partnership with SANParks and ARG Design. Local comedian Nik Rabinowitz”s special brand of humour had the 120 guests laughing all the way towards raising much-needed funds for the conservation of endangered African penguins and endangered seabirds at the gala event. Auction items included a cricket bat signed by cricket legend Jacques Kallis, a signed Stormers rugby jersey, unique getaway experiences, a photo shoot with SANCCOB”s very own ambassador penguin and SANCCOB”s limited edition wine. Celebrity guests included Lindsey Muckle (winner of Strictly Come Dancing SA Season 4), Graeme Richards (local TV personality) and Michaela Strachan (international wildlife presenter).

Collectively, the Penguin Festival and the Benefit Auction raised R320 000. The proceeds will contribute towards the rehabilitation of approximately 2 500 seabirds at SANCCOB”s seabird centres and to maintain an oiled wildlife response team in readiness to respond to oil spills along the South African coastline. Funds will also contribute to the penguin monitor project in which SANCCOB partners with SANParks and City of Cape Town to deploy penguin monitors at the Burghers Walk colony in Simon”s Town. These penguin protectors perform key conservation-specific tasks within the 1.63 hectare penguin colony which includes rescuing penguins at risk and transporting them to SANCCOB for rehabilitation, maintaining penguin proof barriers, collecting penguin data and to manage co-existence between penguins and humans just outside the boundaries of the Boulders Beach colony.

Both SANParks and SANCCOB wishes to extend thanks and appreciation to the many people and companies that sponsored prizes for the two events, without which neither event would have been possible.

The month of October may be over but members of the public are still encouraged to pledge their support for African penguin conservation in the following ways:

• Adopt and name an African penguin by visiting www.sanccob.co.za
• Start your own fundraiser for SANCCOB and on Just Giving: www.justgiving.com/sanccob
• Visit SANCCOB”s online shop for penguin goodies at www.sanccob.co.za
• Donate to SANCCOB online at www.sanccob.co.za/donate
• Volunteer at SANCCOB by emailing [email protected]
• Volunteer at Boulders by emailing [email protected]
• Report injured penguins and/or oiled birds to SANCCOB by calling (021) 557 6155 (Western Cape) and (042) 298 0160 (Eastern Cape)
• Download the African penguin posters below and put them in your classroom, in your office, your local community board or on your fridge: www.sanccob.co.za/events

SANCCOB Volunteers get ready to release 12 endangered African penguins back into the wild at Seaforth Beach for African Penguin Awareness Day on 11 October 2014. Photography credit: SANCCOB.

12 endangered African penguins are released back into the wild at Seaforth Beach as Penguin Festival goers look on. Photography credit: Nick King.

SANCCOB”s ambassador Rockhopper penguin, Rocky, entertains the crowd at the Penguin Festival. Photography credit: SANCCOB.

Comedian Nik Rabinowitz”s helps to raise R300 000 at the prestigious SANCCOB Benefit Auction on 15 October in partnership with SANParks, ARG Design and The Commodore Hotel. Photography credit: www.nkphotography.co.za

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTSI7PTyv4E

Issued By

South African National Parks (SANParks) Cape Region Communications

Enquiries

Tarcia Hendricks
Public Relations Officer – Cape Region , South African National Parks
Email: [email protected]