Robberg's rocking new kid on the block

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Robberg Nature Reserve has a new kid on the block – and a rare chap at that, a northern rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes moseleyi).

The new arrival, who made his appearance on Tuesday 3 January near Robberg Point, caused quite a flutter among Plett and other birding fraternities.

Avid bird enthusiast Pieter Verster travelled a 1 000km round-trip to see it. He had been alerted to the penguin's presence on the Cape RARE bird alert.

Sighting
The penguin was first spotted by a member of the public, Paul Byrne, who informed bird enthusiast Mike Buckham. After realising the significance of the bird, the find was posted on the Cape RARE bird alert and Plett Rare Bird Alert WhatsApp groups.

This is also how CapeNature became aware of the penguin's presence. A group of local birders led by Rupert Horley then tracked down the bird to locate its position, said Natanya Dreyer, team leader (advocacy, learning and awareness) at CapeNature.

It was confirmed to be a Eudyptes moseleyi by Verster. The difference between a northern and southern rockhopper penguin can be told on examination of the underside of the flippers. If the black tip under the flipper covers only a sixth of the flipper, it is a southern rockhopper penguin. If the black covers a third of the flipper, it is a northern rockhopper penguin.

'Rare bird'
"This is indeed a very rare occurrence," said Dreyer. "We may find rockhoppers stranded along our South African coastline perhaps every few years or so. There was one in Sedgefield about two years ago, which was eventually released back into the wild. The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) has also had a few rockhoppers that they have assisted along our coastline over the years."

Dreyer said it was hard to speculate why and how the penguin landed up at Robberg, so far away from its native islands such as Tristan da Cunha, Gough, Amsterdam and St Paul in the southern Indian and Atlantic oceans. "It could be as a result of ending up in a current and making its way on its own, or even that it was caught [in a commercial fishing net] as bycatch. Any guess would simply be speculation and it will remain a mystery," said Dreyer.

Chanel Visser, chief Robberg marine ranger, took charge and made all the necessary arrangements to ensure the penguin stands a better chance of survival.

As a young mother herself, Visser has empathy with the "new kid on the block".

"I went out today again after a very hectic day with the penguin yesterday," she said the day after it was spotted. "Found him wandering off to sea, presumably to find breakfast. I fed him some squid and he was so happy."

Safety concerns
She said the bird initially chose an enclosed caved area that was relatively hidden from predators and hikers.

From photographic and other evidence such as feathers and guano, CapeNature staff could see that it had been disturbed by people at least twice.

"It had been seen moving and had been photographed in two different locations after leaving its cave. We assume that it came out of the cave in the early morning for some sunlight, and was then easily spotted by hikers passing right by the rock it was sitting on. The penguin then climbed further up the cliff, we assume to find more privacy from the many passers-by.

It eventually ended up on a cliff between two paths with high foot traffic," said Visser.

CapeNature consulted with Sanccob and DFFE on the matter and they decided, in the best interests of the penguin, to move it to a more isolated part of Robberg.

Moulting
The reasoning behind the decision was twofold. Firstly, the bird needed to move to a site that was protected from predators such as caracals, that are found all over the peninsula.

Secondly, the bird is moulting and it requires a calm environment to finish off its moult before it can, hopefully, safely return to sea with a new set of waterproof feathers, "a critical life stage for its survival".

Visser retrieved the bird from the high-risk site and brought it to the car park at Robberg, where she and a veterinary nurse from Robberg Vet Clinic, Hanlie Roux, assessed the penguin's condition.

They took blood smear samples to evaluate its overall health parameters and ensure that it did not have any disease or infection, and DNA tests to determine the bird's sex. A transponder chip was inserted to help identify it at future sightings and keep track of its survival.

Only relevant staff, under the advice of Sanccob, are permitted to approach or handle the bird if needed.

Visser returns every few days to provide it with food, so as to aid it in a successful moult.

Touching the bird can easily spread disease and may severely compromise its health.

"It is for this reason that only two people are allowed to handle the bird, following a strict sanitation regime. CapeNature will continue to monitor the bird from a safe distance, at its new location, until it departs from Robberg in its own time. If the bird's condition deteriorates, or if shows any signs of disease or distress, the entity will again liaise with Sanccob and follow their instructions to implement best practice," said Dreyer.

Please do not disturb
Dreyer said that, in the penguin's best interests, birders and the public are discouraged from approaching it.

"CapeNature appeals to the public not to try find the bird on Robberg, because if further disturbed, it may need to be captured and placed in the relevant rehabilitation facility. CapeNature would much rather that the bird rather naturally moults, before leaving the reserve in its own time," she said.

The now-famous northern rockhopper penguin.

The northern rockhopper penguin has a third of the underpart of its flipper covered in black. This distinguishes it from its southern cousin, which has only a sixth of the flipper covered in black.