SOUTH AFRICA: CAPE TOWN: PENGUINS SAVED AFTER OIL SPILL

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyqIpj4Wpto&w=480&h=270]

English/Nat

Hundreds of penguins – victims of an oil spill off the coast of South Africa – have been saved by a remarkable air-sea rescue mission.

The country’s air force picked up the flightless birds and flew them to an emergency cleaning centre.

After receiving a scrub and a meal, the penguins will be returned to the wild by their new allies once they have recovered from their ordeal.

The South Africa Air Force has come to the rescue of 600 penguins coated in thick oil and on the verge of dying.

The flightless birds – who inhabit the aptly named Bird Island 800 kilometres off the east coast of South Africa have been flown into Ysterplaat Air Force Base near Capetown.

When the Department of Nature Conservation heard of their plight, it called in the Air Force to launch an emergency rescue mission.

Once they had picked up the penguins they brought them to the mainland for treatment.

Air force personnel converted a disused helicopter hangar into a temporary bird sanctuary.

They built makeshift pens and even a swimming pool to rehabilitate the birds.

SOUNDBITE:
“We were approached by the Department of Nature Conservation and of course SANCCOB (South African National Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) to try and help them with the rehabilitation of penguins and as to the fact that they didn’t have any space available to rehabilitate these penguins. And we have put in some pens and a swimming pool.”
SUPER CAPTION: Lieutenant Mariette Hopley, South African Air Force

The hazardous Transkei coast is notorious for oil spills from ship wrecks and tankers, as well as other craft dispersing oil into the sea.

Once they are coated with oil penguins are completely helpless – unable to swim and catch fish.

If left unassisted, the birds will die.

SOUNDBITE:
“Normally when they get oil on their feathers they don’t go and hunt for fish so some of then are weak and we’re treating them very carefully. We’re looking after them really well.”
SUPER CAPTION: Lieutenant Mariette Hopley, South African Air Force

These Jackass penguins will be returned to the wild as soon as they are rehabilitated and able to fend for themselves.

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