The Dyer Island Conservation Trust has appealed to the public to be more vigilant when it comes to injured African Penguins found on the Western Cape coastline.
The call comes after two of these critically endangered birds were recently rescued and rehabilitated at their sanctuary in Gaansbaai in the Overberg district.
One was found with a shark bite, while the other was found with a plastic band tightly wedged around its neck.
There are fewer than 20,000 of these animals left in the wild.
Spokesperson for the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, Christine Wessels, says, “Please make sure you have the rescue numbers for injured wildlife, including marine animals and birds somewhere visible like on the fridge. The sooner an injured or sick animal is reported, the sooner we can respond, and that can make all the difference to its chances of survival. Every call matters and every member of the community can play a part in protecting our marine wildlife, including our critically endangered African penguins.”
