Rescued penguin chicks doing okay

Rescued penguin chicks doing well

2010/10/22
Khanyi Ndabeni

Image of SAFE AGAIN ... Jared Harding and Hailey de Wet from Samrec tend to some of the penguin chicks rescued from Bird Island. Picture: SAM MAJELA

NINETY-ONE African penguin chicks rescued at Bird Island off Port Elizabeth during last Thursday’s heavy rain are recovering at the South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (Samrec) and Penguins Eastern Cape.
The penguins’ nests started flooding and about 55 chicks drowned while 91 were abandoned.
Samrec spokesman Luc Hosten said the chicks were evacuated to the mainland and distributed to Samrec at Cape Recife and Penguins Eastern Cape in Cape St Francis at the weekend.
“A team of volunteers at the centre rehydrated and fed the birds. We can safely say the chicks are recovering well at both centres, but we will only release them after two months as they are still young and need to grow under supervision,” said Hosten.
Meanwhile the Animal Welfare Society shelter in Victoria Drive, Walmer, said things were back to normal after dogs and cats had to be evacuated from the shelter on Thursday because of rising water.

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