PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Three rescued penguins will be released on Plettenberg Bay’s Lookout Beach today, 10 September.
Residents and visitors can meet them as the waddle their way down the beach and into the ocean at 09:00.
The regular release of penguins that have been nursed back to health from an array of ailments has become a popular sight in town over the past four years.
This time around, one of the penguins has been nicknamed Runner - a juvenile penguin from Nature's Valley that was admitted on 8 July. It weighed 2, 26kg and suffered from a heavy presence of internal parasites. He was nicknamed Runner, because he is always first to run to get his fish at feeding time.
Then there is Greenie from the Central Beach area, another juvenile that was admitted 10 days later. He only weighed 2,18kg and had the same issues as Runner.
He was dubbed Greenie because on arrival, he received a green tag to identify him. His rehabilitation team said Greenie always makes sure he kept up with Runner when it's feeding time, and he is not shy to gobble up someone else's fish if they drop it.
The final penguin making its way down the beach today is Redman from Plettenberg Bay, that was admitted on 31 July. He was in very poor condition and very cold after heavy seas and bad weather. His weight on arrival was 2,08kg.
“Redman is definitely the baby of the three in terms of personality, but he loves to swim and is always in the water, diving and snorkelling,” the team said.
They might be joined by a fourth penguin, named Elvis Blue, who came from the Buffalo Bay area. He had a very bad foot injury which is healing well. He also had an ulcer and eye penetration injury. The team said that it was healing, but they were doubtful if he would regain 100% sight in that eye. The release will depend on his progress.
The releases are part of an effort by various conservationists including the Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation and Awareness Centre, the Nature's Valley Trust, Wessa beach stewards, CapeNature, the Orca Foundation and BirdLife Plettenberg Bay, to counter dwindling African penguin numbers.
Many penguins wash up on Plettenberg Bay and surrounding beaches due to factors such as dehydration, exhaustion, arrested moult or illness.
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