Volunteering in South Africa: Protecting Penguins in Gansbaai

After many visits to South Africa, one type of animal has been troubling me especially: the adorable African penguins at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Can you imagine that they could soon be extinct? No? Neither can I, but the reality is different.

That's why I joined GVI in Gansbaai for a few days to assist with the project that protects penguins, whales, and dolphins in South Africa. Since I was here outside of whale season, it mainly involved one thing: protecting penguins. I wanted to learn more about them and participate as a volunteer in a project to contribute to nature and wildlife conservation.

The advantage: Through your volunteer work, you can learn more about sustainable conservation and simultaneously experience the beautiful animals of Africa up close. In Gansbaai, in addition to penguins, there are also Cape fur seals, dolphins, rays, sharks, and if you're lucky at the right time of the year, whales.

The numbers are dwindling faster than conservationists can fight to save them. That's why I visited GVI Gansbaai and the Marine Dynamics Academy for volunteering to learn more about these birds.

Wilfred Chivell, owner of Marine Dynamics (known for shark cage diving tours) and Dyer Island Cruises, has established an African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary in Gansbaai specifically for this purpose. He is fighting tirelessly for the endangered African penguins.

Only 1% of the original population of African penguins - fewer than 9000 breeding pairs - are left today. The reasons are manifold. Of course, humans consistently play a significant role. If the decline is not stopped soon, the African penguin will be extinct by 2030 - in just five years.

There are many reasons that have led to the status of 'endangered' for African penguins. Initially, it was a gradual process that began a long time ago; now the rate at which penguins are disappearing is dramatic. Because what mainly threatens the survival of the African penguin is humanity.

Here I list the reasons I know of. Good sources include the penguin exhibit at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town and Wilfred Chivell or his daughter Sanchia, who spent two hours answering my questions.

Many years ago, the harvesting of guano began - even on Dyer Island. Once, the guano was seven meters high here (I've seen pictures); today, nothing is left.

Guano - a natural substance that comes from the excrement of birds like penguins - is a crucial reason for the dramatic decline in the penguin population. Humans like to use it as fertilizer, but penguins need it to dig burrows and safely lay their eggs in.

The home of the penguins is mainly on offshore islands of the southern African coast (South Africa and Namibia).

The lack of guano has caused African penguins to attempt to build their nests in a variety of suboptimal habitats, leading to penguin colonies such as the one at Boulders Beach in Simon's Town and Stoney Point in Betty's Bay.

Organizations from around the world are working together to provide African penguins with a home where they can protect their eggs and raise their young.

At the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, research has been conducted for years to create ideal artificial nests. Gradually, these have been installed in places like Dyer Island, which is completely populated by penguins; today, you have to look carefully to spot any penguins.

In South Africa's history, the collection of penguin eggs has a long tradition. In old South African cookbooks, you can still find recipes using penguin eggs. Once, penguin eggs were considered a delicacy and were reportedly served once a week at the government.

Due to the commercial harvesting of African penguin eggs, more than 500,000 eggs were collected yearly. It is estimated that between the 1920s and the mid-1950s, 48% of all African penguin eggs were collected for human consumption (Source: Exhibit at the Two Oceans Aquarium).

In just 30 years (1900-1930), over 13 million penguin eggs were taken for human consumption. It was not until 1968 that the harvesting of eggs was prohibited.

Cape fur seals are one of the largest predators and natural threats to African penguins. Due to the increasing seal population and a lack of food (sardines and anchovies), seals have learned that African penguins are easy prey.

Because seals are not foolish: targeted bites in the penguin's stomach area provide a belly full of sardines. The penguin either dies or survives injured. At the Penguin Sanctuary, I rehabilitated some of these penguins.

Additionally, Cape fur seals have taken over the former breeding sites of African penguins and populate the small islands around Dyer Island.

Against one thing, we are all powerless: overfishing the seas. The food shortage not only forces penguins to swim up to 35 km or further to find food for their young, but it also results in more and more penguins being found with bites from sharks and seals.

If we ate less fish, less would be caught, and thus... oh, I forgot to mention that South Africa realized many years ago that they have no source of income from the sea. They allowed Chinese trawlers to fish extensively off their coast.

Another evil is not only influencers posing for selfies with penguins at Boulders Beach but also the national park authority, which ignores the disregard for maintaining distance. PLEASE keep a distance from the adorable penguins. They can really bite - I experienced this in the sanctuary - and feel disturbed when you get too close.

Signs are only placed further away on the beach walk, indicating that a distance of three meters must be maintained. While various bathing beaches have now been integrated into the national park, there is no control to ensure that people keep their distance from the penguins. Signs are desperately sought after.

In the evening, we catch people climbing over the rocks into the national park area at Boulders Beach. Is there a supervision? No.

The next morning brings further disappointment: even before the national park opens, we took a boat tour. From the water, buoys are placed to ensure boats and kayakers keep their distance. But we couldn't believe our eyes: a presumably local snorkeling group landed in the national park right before our eyes. The penguins visibly intimidated scurried to the other side.

A call to SANParks and SANCCops, as well as the responsible authorities: pointless. No one answered the phone. It's frustrating and really makes me angry.

Recently, NGOs successfully sued in a court in Johannesburg - with success. In the next 10 years, no-fishing zones must be established around the last 6 colonies of penguins. Neither sardines nor anchovies, the main food source for penguins, may be caught. Unfortunately, this is limited to 10 years for now and not for life as required.

What remains in the end? Every penguin counts. Everyone who helps raise awareness and attention is helping. Do you want to help as a volunteer? Then take a look at the information on GVI Gansbaai's website.

Penguins are caring parents. When the breeding season ends, they face challenges. They must molt, which makes them incapable of swimming and thus hunting while they prepare for their new plumage. Some penguin parents start molting before their chicks are able to care for themselves, putting the little ones at risk of starvation.

Since less than 1% of the original population of African penguins survives in the wild, intervention is necessary. Only by doing so can we delay and hopefully prevent extinction.

Every penguin in the sanctuary is lovingly rehabilitated with vitamin supplements and sardines, and they are examined daily. Each of these penguins receives a chip to collect data.

A young penguin requires 10 sardines per day. The APSS thus spends about 150 Euros daily just on sardines to feed them. Since the privately funded penguin sanctuary lost its main sponsor, VW, every Euro counts. You can visit the sanctuary for free as a visitor. If you have a coffee and eat cake, the proceeds go directly to the aid.

You can also donate directly through the website here or get involved as a volunteer, as I did. You will find the links further down in the text.

Because: #EveryBirdCounts

Daily opened from 9 AM to 4 PM

Feeding time: 3 PM

There is a small café and souvenir shop (the proceeds go to the sanctuary)

Website

As a big penguin fan, who visits Simons Town or Betty's Bay at least once during every South Africa visit, I wanted to actively contribute to the protection of these adorable waddling penguins.

I found out that I could get involved with GVI, an organization for worldwide volunteer work in Gansbaai at the Marine Dynamics Academy (Link). So I booked myself in. Officially, you can stay from 2 weeks, but shorter stays are possible upon request.

I stayed in the huge volunteer house directly next to the penguin and seabird sanctuary. Breakfast and lunch were included; I was only responsible for dinner. There was a large kitchen, a pool, a lounge with a pool table, and the rooms were quite new.

This little penguin in the last picture was extremely young when it arrived at the station. It could not even stand up. Its feet were not properly developed. When I left the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, he could at least stand up. The care takes longer, but the hope that he can be released remains. There are also a few permanent residents, like the blind penguin lady. Only with our help can she get into the water (and back out).

In addition to feeding sick and undernourished penguins (you wouldn't believe how strong they are when they don't want to eat), there are other tasks waiting for you depending on the weather. Assistance with shark cage diving boats and the Dyer Island boats, cleaning the beaches, emptying containers of old fishing lines, and more.

Weekend excursions are also offered. Alternatively, if it is not a 'sea day' and no boats can go out to sea.

But my focus was on the privately funded sanctuary for injured, sick penguins, and seabirds, which are really lovingly rehabilitated here before they can be released back to the protected area of Dyer Island.

You can participate in volunteer work, internships, research scholarships, and professional internships

Work with the Marine Big 5 (though you should forget about seeing a Great White Shark; they are no longer found in the bay)

No prior scientific or professional experience is needed

There are also community projects

Work on boats with an experienced crew from Marine Dynamics

Shark cage diving (mainly bronze whaler sharks)

You will never be bored, and the days are well filled. I particularly enjoyed my time at the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary. I was able to learn a lot about penguins and now know what it feels like to hold a penguin (which we had to do for the feedings).

Do you want to support the work? You can adopt a penguin, sponsor a nest, or simply donate money.

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