No-fishing zones help endangered penguins

SOUTH AFRICA – Small no-fishing zones around colonies of African penguins can help this struggling species, new research shows.

African penguins. Photo credit: Richard Sherley

Working with the South African government, researchers from the University of Exeter and University of Cape Town tested bans on catching "forage fish" such as sardines and anchovies – key prey for the endangered penguins – from 20 km around their breeding islands.

The body condition and survival of chicks improved when the no-fishing zones were in place.

More research is needed, but the scientists say the fishing closures should continue in South Africa and should be considered elsewhere.

New guidance on hand-rearing decisions for endangered penguin chicks

African penguin chicks. Photo credit: SANCCOB.

SOUTH AFRICA – Researchers have developed a model to provide guidance on the likelihood of abandoned African penguin chicks surviving after they are admitted to rehabilitation.

Developed by researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Exeter and Cape Town, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) and Bristol Zoological Society, it is the first model of its kind.

The use of rehabilitation for conservation is growing worldwide, with many research papers monitoring the success of individuals after their release. Rearing chicks that are unlikely to survive naturally could significantly contribute to the conservation of threatened bird species such as the African penguin.

Endangered African penguins are falling into an 'ecological trap'

AFRICA – As the climate changes and fisheries transform the oceans, the world's African penguins are in trouble, according to researchers reporting in Current Biology on 9 February. Young penguins aren't able to take all the changes into account and are finding themselves "trapped" in parts of the sea that can no longer support them even as better options are available.

"Our results show that juvenile African penguins are stuck foraging for food in the wrong places due to fishing and climate change," said Richard Sherley of the University of Exeter and University of Cape Town.

Rescued 'abandoned' penguin chicks' survival similar to colony rates

SOUTH AFRICA - Abandoned African penguin chicks that were hand-reared and returned to the wild showed a similar survival rate to their naturally-reared counterparts, according to a study published on 22 October 2014 in the open-access journal PLoS ONE by Richard Sherley from University of Cape Town and colleagues.

The endangered African penguin population has been rapidly decreasing since 2001. In the Western Cape of South Africa, penguins breed from February to September and moult between September and January, once chicks have fledged. If adult penguins begin the moulting process, a 21-day period where they no longer have the waterproofing necessary to dive for food, with chicks in the nest, the chicks may starve. 

Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) recovers 'abandoned' penguin chicks that are no longer being fed and cares for them until they can be reintroduced into breeding colonies. 

Researchers documented the care, release and survival of over 840 hand-reared chicks in 2006 and over 480 hand-reared chicks in 2007. Of those admitted, in 2006, 91% and, in 2007, 73% were released into the wild. Post-release juvenile and adult survival rates were similar to recent survival rates recorded for naturally-reared birds. 

Lucy the penguin plots historic course

SOUTH AFRICA - On 26 June 2011, Lucy the penguin made history as she became the first ever juvenile African penguin to be fitted with a satellite transmitter. The information gained from Lucy's travels and those of other juvenile penguins may one day help scientists to establish a new African penguin colony.

The release of Lucy, who was born in the wild and then hand-reared by SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds), is part of the Chick Bolstering Project (CBP), a collaborative endeavour being undertaken by SANCCOB, the Oceans and Coasts Branch of the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Animal Demography Unit (ADU), University of Cape Town.

The purpose of the project is to investigate the behaviour of juvenile birds and to answer pressing questions about the pressures that they face during early life. One of the goals is to use chicks abandoned by their parents and hand-reared to create new colonies close to areas of high prey abundance.

Over the coming months, four other juveniles will be fitted with transmitters and released. On 15 July, the next one to go, Richie, was fitted with his transmitter and will be given a few days of swimming around in SANCCOB’s pool to get used to it.

For both birds, the transmitters are expected to relay their position for about six months and regular updates will be posted on Penguin Watch. The transmitters are attached to the feathers on the penguins’ backs by a combination of a special tape and glue.

Dr Richard Sherley of ADU, who is heading the research component of the project, said, “Once the tape and glue wear off, the device will simply drop off. Hopefully, by that time we will have learnt some vital lessons about what these young birds do at sea.

“At worst case scenario, the device will drop off when the bird moults at around 18 months after deployment, but based on studies with these devices in the past, we don’t expect the attachment method to last that long.”

SANCCOB veterinarian Dr Nola Parsons, who selected Lucy and Richie for their transmitter missions said on the day of Lucy’s release, “It is wonderful to release this bird which has the potential to give us so much more valuable information about movements of African penguin fledglings. This work is essential in improving the way in which we manage this species.” 

Sources
Hand-reared penguin plots historic course by Richard Sherley and Venessa Strauss, 6 July 2011, Penguin Watch
Second chick set to follow in Lucy's wake by Richard Sherley, 18 July 2011, Penguin Watch