Forty-six African penguin chicks rescued from Bird Island floods are thriving at Sanccob, receiving expert care and a chance for recovery as climate change poses ongoing threats.
Close to 50 African penguin chicks rescued from flooding on Bird Island last month are "healthy", "very noisy" and thriving under round-the-clock care at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) centre in Gqeberha.
"They are putting on weight and very healthy," said CJ Havemann, Sanccob's centre manager in Gqeberha. "They are very noisy because they're situated outside my office, so you can just hear them chirping all the time."
The 46 African penguin chicks were evacuated from the island after heavy rains on 24 February flooded low-lying nesting areas on Bird Island in Algoa Bay, washing away nests and leaving dozens of young birds without shelter or parents.
Read more Endangered penguins and gannets threatened as tar balls wash up along SA coastline February 3, 2026 A critical seabird stronghold
Bird Island forms part of the Addo Elephant National Park off the coast of Gqeberha. The bay contains two island groups: the St Croix cluster near the Port of Coega and the more remote Bird Island cluster.
The island hosts the second-largest colony of African penguins in South Africa, with roughly 700 breeding pairs. It is also home to the world's largest...
