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Do I detect a rebound in African Penguin numbers in Algoa Bay?

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African Penguin on Bird Island
The African Penguin is also widely known as the “jackass” penguin for its donkey-like bray. It is a pursuit diver and feeds primarily on fish and squid. Once extremely numerous, the African penguin is classified as endangered. It is a charismatic species and is popular with tourists.

The African Penguin, Africa’s only surviving penguin, breeds only in South Africa and Namibia. South Africa supports 90% of the population, including the four largest colonies: Dassen, St Croix, Robben and Bird islands. Dassen and Robben islands lie off the west coast, north of Cape Town. St Croix and Bird islands are in Algoa Bay, east of Port Elizabeth.

Sanparks took over the Management of the Bird Island Marine Protected area on 4 June 2004 and in 2008 the Addo Elephant National Park established a Marine section of rangers, to provide an ever-vigilant presence in the area. The nine-person team alternates between being based on Bird Island and on vessels in and around the MPA, and have made a number of arrests and confiscated numerous vessels over the years.

Plans are now afoot to have a greater MPA declared, which will add another 120 000ha to the current 7 00ha MPA. This area will stretch for about 75km along the coast from the Port of Ngqura to Cannon Rocks near Alexandria. Offshore, it’ll go out for as far as 20km at its furthest point.

MyPE was recently hosted by Sanparks for two days on Bird Island and the question on everyone’s lips was whether the MPA was having a positive effect on the African Penguin population.

The rangers on the island are well armed and ready to defend the island from ‘raiders’. A change from their early days of occupation when marauding perlemoen poachers would congregate on the island for a braai whist they shucked their illegal haul and partied. Defenceless rangers would lock themselves up in their accommodation fearing for their lives.

Not anymore today, though, as the rangers have been well trained, carry modern weapons and can see people approach the island at night or day from a strategic observation post.

Having removed the human threat to fish stocks in close proximity to Bird Island the theory is that the African Penguins should have a good chance at stabilising and increasing in number.

But, it is probably too early to discern a positive effect on the numbers as the African Penguin reaches sexual maturity at the age of 4 years. Before that happens the young Bird Island African Penguin has to run the gauntlet of predators all the way to Angola and back to Bird Island – a journey that each makes before returning home.

According to Sanparks the oldest penguin on Bird Island was tagged 36 years ago.

Regular bird counts have been made on St. Croix and Bird Island since 1980 and they chart an alarming decrease in numbers of the African Penguin over the years but also with some strange increases every now and then.

The real telling indication of a growing population would be to chart the number of penguins returning to Bird Island every year from Angola – if that number is increasing then it would be an early indicator of growth in the population. Maybe some clever scientist would like to motivate for funds to do that study?

Upon receiving the penguin number counts for the last 23 years I was initially disappointed as, at first glance, it appears that the decline is continuing BUT if you look at the graphs below in the context of 4 year tranches and match those up with the establishment of the MPA in 2004 and then the rangers on the island in 2008 it would appear as though the trend is a positive one.

Let us hope that the declaration of a far greater area for the MPA will contribute far more positively to the numbers as they stand.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.

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Comments

  1. We can only hope that the numbers will carry on increasing. It is wonderful that SanParks have achieved this and hope that they do increase the area they cover. Humans are the most destructive selfish mammals with no regard for anyone else but themselves. Pure greed.