Penguins have been on the top of everyone’s mind at Curro Durbanville Primary School with learners on a mission to do their bit to help save and protect the African Penguins from extinction. A fascinating visit from Christine Wessels and Pinkey Ngewu from Dyer Island Conservation Trust stirred things up, especially after learners at the school discovered that almost 99% of the African Penguin population, the only penguin species on our continent, has been eradicated thanks predominantly to human action. If nothing changes, these gorgeous sea creatures are at risk of being extinct in the next few years.
Saddened, and baffled by this worrying reality, Curro learners put their heads together and quickly set up a sponsor-a-penguin-nest fundraiser within their local community. It’s been a splashing success, having already raised enough money in the last month alone, to sponsor a whopping 73 penguin nests. These lifesaving safe havens will be carefully placed within the conservation area on Dyer Island in the Gansbaai area of the Western Cape and will be monitored by Dyer Island Conservation Trust. As well as helping create a safe breeding space for the penguins, the nests will also offer some much-needed protection to little penguin chicks, who risk being endangered.
Support the Dyer Island Conservation Trust by popping in at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary in Gansbaai to watch the daily feeding of the resident African Penguins. Visit their Facebook page @apssZA to find out more.
