Bedreigde Afrika Pikkewyn Laat Bietoubossers Nadink 

Pinkey Ngewu van Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT) het die Bietoubosdames behoorlik aan haar lippe laat hang, maar ook laat nadink, met ‘n interessante en insiggewende praatjie oor die bedreigde Afrika pikkewyn. Die Bietoubos Damesklub het haar as gasspreker na hulle onlangse byeenkoms genooi.

Die gesellige byeenkoms is weer gekenmerk met ‘n mooi versierde omgewing en smaaklike eetgoed - dié keer onder leiding van Mima Snyders en haar span. Nadat die gebruiklike administratiewe sake afgehandel is, is Pinkey aan die woord gestel - ‘n deeglike kenner van die Afrika pikkewyn en ook ‘n entoesiastiese personeellid van DICT (Marine Dynamics en Dyer Island Cruises).

Die Afrika Pikkewyn

Pinkey het onder andere vertel dat die pikkewyne wat in Afrika is, nie die enigste pikkewyne is nie - daar is sowat 18 pikkewynspesies. In Mei 2010 is die Afrika pikkewyn as ‘n bedreigde spesie geklassifiseer nadat hulle getalle drasties afgeneem het. 

Penguins have growth stages defined by different appearances or dress codes. The African penguin is an apex predator that feeds on sardines and anchovies. Their average age is between 10 to 27 years in the wild and 30 to 40 years in captivity. They reach maturity at the age of 4 years and breed between 4 to 6 years. These birds cannot fly but can ‘fly’ underwater and reach a growth of 60 to 70 cm. 

The African penguin population is facing serious problems in Africa, with only less than 1% of the breeding population in Africa from over a million pairs in 1920 to 10,400 pairs in South Africa as of a 2021 bird count. Factors that led to the decline of the species date back to penguin egg harvesting (over 13 million penguin egg consumption were recorded) and guano harvesting. Guano was considered white gold and this excrement was used by penguins for shelter from the weather and predators. 

Since then the numbers had continuously gone down. Other threats are marine pollution (fishing line), seagulls and seal predation. To address these issues the Dyer Island Conservation Trust started a penguin nest project. This has been a success for years. In 2015 the Trust opened an African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary (APSS) which has become a critical rehabilitation centre for the penguins and seabirds along our immediate coastline. “Since the opening of the Sanctuary, we have achieved 86% success release back to Dyer Island,” Pinky said. 

Penguin feathers are stiff and overlap in layers to trap air next to the skin for insulation. “The feathers are very resistant to wind and water and the penguins moult annually to get new feathers,” she said. “Every November/December the APSS receives a lot of baby penguins and we request the public to assist us by donating some newspapers and old towels or bedding for these birds.”

Die bekende African Penguine and Seabird Sanctury (APSS) gebou langs die Kleinbaai-pad kan gerus besoek word. Voedingstye is daagliks om 15:00, waartydens volledige inligting oor die Afrika pikkewyn aangebied word.

Hardus Botha