I've stayed in Jeffreys Bay for three weeks and
worked as a volunteer at one of the schools in the township. The
children at the Creche were very adorable and the two teachers were
just amazing in their dedication to educate about 40-50 children
every single day. They could definitely use some helping hands and
their appreciation for me investing three weeks of my time in
helping them was enormous...........Read
more
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Penguin Rescue Volunteers South Africa
 
Penguins are
fascinating creatures, intriguing scientists and tourists alike. Whether
offering us the mystery and beauty of a 300-metre dive or entertaining
us with comic clumsiness on land, these charismatic creatures delight
the eye and captivate the heart.” - Phil Hockey 2001
The African Penguin is the only
penguin species that breeds in Africa. More than 40% of African
Penguins breed on the islands between Saldanha Bay and Cape
Town, with almost another 40% breeding within Algoa Bay near Port
Elizabeth. The present population is about 10% of that at the start of
the 20th century when it was estimated at over 1.45 million adult birds.
- In the 1950’s the population had declined to 300
000 adults
- By the late 1970’s to only 220 000.
- By the late 1980’s, the population was down to
194 000 adults
- In the early 1990’s only 179 000 adults remained.
- The latest African Penguin Sensus revealed that
there is less than 100 000 adults left
 Given
the large decrease in the 20th century, there is considerable concern
about the long-term viability of the African Penguin in
the wild. Guano and egg collection caused a near collapse in the penguin
population. More recently, reduced availability of pelagic fish,
resulting from competition with commercial fisheries, has been
responsible for the ongoing declines. The vulnerability of
African Penguins is increased further by its concentration
within relatively small geographic areas. Consequently, catastrophic
events, in the form of oil spills affecting thousands of birds have now
become one of the most important immediate threats facing
African Penguins.
The one ray of hope in this otherwise dark cloud is
that the African Penguin is a robust and tough animal
and thus able to deal with the rehabilitation process far better than
other species. Combine this factor with a well planned and managed
rehabilitation facility and the penguins are in with a fighting chance.
SANCCOB was established in the Western Cape in the 1960’s and they have
been doing a sterling job to rescue oiled and sick
birds in the Western Cape.
 For
the past 20 years the rehabilitation and rescue
work has been done by a group of dedicated volunteers in Jeffreys Bay
under the guidance of local vet Dr. Dave Hartley and his wife Chrystal.
They worked tirelessly and without any outside funding. When Dave passed
away in 2003, Chrystal kept the penguin rehabilitation
going but the need for a more formal centre became evident. Apart from
the J’Bay Penguin Group the staff at Bayworld in Port Elizabeth also did
a sterling job under difficult circumstances to try and lend a helping
hand.
In the Eastern Cape the rehabilitation efforts has
been fairly fragmented up to now. In 2005 Ajubatus Marine and Wildlife
Rescue recognised this need and decided to establish a rehabilitation
facility in the Eastern Cape. The facility was formally opened in
December 2006 and in October 2008 the management of the centre was
transferred to Penguins - Eastern Cape.
Now the penguins in the Eastern Cape can also claim
access to the best medical advise available. They however need your
support.The custom designed facility was
completed in December 2006 and has two components namely the Intensive
Care Hospital and the Rehabilitation facility. The ICU consists of :
- A hospital room where the birds will be kept in
separate crates until they are stabilized,
- A treatment room where treatment will take place
and where all the medication will be kept
- A storeroom for the fish fridges and towels.
The rehabilitation facility is an outside facility.
Penguins will be moved into this facility once they have been stabilized
in the hospital. They will remain in the rehabilitation facility until
they have reached the correct release weight and they are fully
waterproofed. The rehabilitation centre consists of the following areas:
- A freshwater penguin pool with a chlorinator and
filter system
- A holding pen (sleeping quarters for the
penguins) “Penguin Hilton”
- A feeding pen. “Restaurant Prima Penguin”
specializing in pilchard sushi
- A shaded area to allow for recreation time
- A perimeter wall with viewing windows. “Big
Brother eat your heart out. The amazing art work on the outside
wall was done by artist, surfer and environmentalist, Stephen Bib.
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Please note that
you can extend for any length of time
(min 1 month)
All Rates
Quoted in South African Rands on dorm style accommodation.
Currency Converter
ZAR R3950/week
Accommodation Upgrade
ZAR 450 per week
twin room
sharing
● Accommodation
(Accommodation upgrades available)
● Transfers to and from Port Elizabeth Airport
● Sponsorship for centre.
●
All meals included
This project can be joined at any time of
the year and on any day of the week.
This project is open to
anyone over the age of 18, fairly fit and in good health.
The Project is located
in Cape St Francis 1hr from Port Elizabeth.
Work days will be
weekdays from 7-5 with two days of per week to relax or explore the area,
most volunteers spend their days off at the Volunteer lodge
in Jeffreys Bay
J Bay Lodge
Join is in Jeffreys Bay for 5 days of fun and sun
before starting your project. Enjoy the worlds
highest Bungy Jump, Cuddle Lion Cubs, Sandboard or
Learn to Surf in the perfect wave. More Info on
Volunteer Orientation
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