How do you eradicate alien invasive rooikrans from a site in Betty’s Bay … and re-purpose it for nesting material for the penguins at Stony Point? By collaboration!
First, the Hackers, with their great energy, teamwork and saws, cut down the invasive aliens at the site. They go the extra mile to help by cutting the green leafy branches into easily manageable sizes.
In come the Penguin-Pals: These willing volunteers bring their trailers, bakkies and helping hands and help load these green branches into the trailers. Off go the vehicles to the Stony Point colony to offload their cargo. Then back they head for another load of hacked green branches … then five, six, seven loads!
Next came the “bundlers” who help to tie the green branches into “bundles” at the colony.
The Stony Point staff can then carry the bundles into the colony to the areas that require nesting material.
At the site of the hack, the Overstrand Municipality remove any remaining hacked material left by the Penguin-Pals.
Results: The area where the hackers worked is clear from these alien invasive – and the penguins now have easy access to nesting material in the colony!
Thanks to all the Hackers and Penguin-Pals, who helped make this possible and to the Stony Point and OM staff for their work.
Load and transport 20 February
In a heart-warming display of teamwork and dedication, a group of enthusiastic volunteers along with staff members from SANCCOB and Cape Nature came together to gather essential nesting material for the critically endangered African Penguins.
Armed with determination and a good sense of humour, the team arrived ready to load up trailers and bakkies with vegetation that was cut the by The Hackers the previous day. Among the volunteers was Jan, whose boundless energy saw him carting off trailer loads of material at an impressive pace. However, his enthusiasm caused him to be the ‘butt’ of much hilarity and entertainment for the day. The back of “Jan se broek” snagged on a sharp branch, leaving him at the mercy of the cool sea breeze and the giggles from a few unnamed volunteers!
Despite the comic moments, the group worked tirelessly. Brian from Pringle Bay, the Rainbow Handyman Rob, from Betty’s Bay, Trish and Ally from Kleinmond all pitched in to ensure the African Penguins would have suitable nesting materials to help improve their breeding success. James and his energetic team of men, who helped at last year’s gathering efforts, were missed by all present. They too had kept everyone entertained and motivated while working with tireless energy.
With laughter echoing through the air and a shared sense of purpose, the day proved to be both productive and filled with camaraderie. The dedication of the volunteers highlights the power of community in conservation efforts – ensuring that future generations may still get to enjoy the incredible and endearing African Penguin in its natural habitat.
Ally Ditchfield, Kleinmond
Bundling: A morning helping the Penguins at Stony Point
Three Penguin-Pals from Pringle Bay heard the call to arms by the Betty’s Bay Conservancy to assist with the bundling of hacked Rooikrans to create nesting material for the critically endangered African Penguin. The Stony Point African penguin colony is one of only five breeding sites in the whole of Southern Africa.
African penguins are monogamous and pairs return to the same breeding site each year with the nesting usually occurring from March to May in South Africa.
Under the beady eye of a sentry penguin the three volunteers tackled the mounds of Rooikrans transported by the Betty’s Bay community to the old Waaygat Whaling station colony site and in the process bundled 40 nesting stacks with wire provided by the Cape Nature staff.
It was a beautiful sunny day, and many foreign tourists had flocked to see our endangered African penguin and maybe us😊. The general question was what we were doing and where did the felled trees come from. As the sun peaked, it was time for us to wrap up and head home for lunch with the knowledge that, hopefully, our little effort would assist in extending the extinction date of 2035 for our flightless foraging friends.
Colin Lewis, Pringle Bay. Photos: Nora Grobelar
The BBC thanks Nora Grobelar, Louise Moolman and Colin Lewis from Pringle Bay for their enthusiastic team work and bundling of 40 nesting stacks! If you are interested in joining the bundling party to help, please WhatsApp 079 7530166.