South Africa is home to hundreds of diverse bird species. These include the African penguin, which has established colonies along the country’s coastline, including the Western Cape.
A well-known colony of these fine-feathered creatures can be found at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town. For locals and visitors, they are an absolute delight and an amusing nuisance in equal measure.
Unfortunately, their numbers have declined dramatically in the last century. This has led to their being listed as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species.
Luckily, efforts to protect these beloved penguins have been strengthened with the introduction of camera traps.
CAMERA TRAPS BOOST PENGUIN CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Thanks to an R83 184 donation from the Lomas Wildlife Protection Trust, a set of camera traps has been secured for use in Simon’s Town.
Nature Connect, which has been working with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, SANParks and the City of Cape Town to protect the African penguin for over a decade, explained the significance of these traps:
The support from the Lomas Wildlife Protection Trust is a vote of confidence in our work and our vision. With these additional camera traps, penguin rangers and researchers can track predator activity more closely, protect nests, learn more about penguin breeding habits, and spot problems early.
The data we collect will guide our next steps and help us share real stories with the public.
A GROWING CONSERVATION MOVEMENT
As you can see, these camera traps will be instrumental in monitoring the presence of the Boulders Beach penguin colony. It will help keep tabs on their population size, and inform present and future conservation efforts.
In the process, rangers, researchers, donors and budding conservationists across South Africa and beyond can ensure the survival of our beloved bird friends.
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