Dassen Island is a 273 hectare (675 acre) Nature Reserve island found 9 kilometers off the mainland between Saldanha Bay and Cape Town, South Africa. The second largest coastal island featuring sandy areas and patches of exposed rock. This flat island boasts gentle slopes and is covered in vegetation during the winter season. Part of the island is enclosed by a low concrete wall.
Management Authority: CapeNature
Population: Currently 1,806 African Penguin breeding pairs are found on Dassen Island (Based on 2021 Census).
Other Notable Species on the Island: African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini), White Torated Swallow (Hirundo albigularis), Bank Cormorant (Phalacrocorax neglectus), Crowned Cormorant (Microcarbo coronatus), Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis), Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), Leach’s Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) , Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), Hartlaub’s Gull (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii), Swift Tern (Thalasseus bergii), Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), Rock Kestrel (Falco rupicolus), Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar), Helmeted Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris), Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash), Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus), Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), Fallow Deer (Dama dama), Eland Deer (Taurotragus oryx), Ostriches (Struthio camelus), Lizards, Geckos, Snakes, Angulate Tortoise (Chersina angulata), Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis), Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis), Mole Snake (Pseudaspis cana), Marbled Leaf-toed Gecko (Afrogecko porphyreus), Cape Legless Skink (Acontias meleagris), Olive Snake (Aipysurus laevis), Cape Fur Seal (Arctocephalus pusillus)
introduced species include the European Rabbit and Domestic Cat
African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus)
- Lifespan: 20 years
- Conservation status: Endangered
- Population Trend: Decreasing
- Prey/diet: Anchovy, sardines, bearded goby (in Namibia), horse mackerel, juvenile hake, redeye, and less commonly cephalopods and crustaceans
African Penguin Chicks at SANCCOB.
Photo source: SANCCOB, https://sanccob.co.za/projects/chick-bolstering-project/
Dassen Island Colony Map
African Penguin
Population Trends:
African Penguin Conservation Status:
Endangered
2022 Quarter 4
Update
African Penguin chick being examined by SANCCOB volunteers.
Photo source: SANCCOB, https://sanccob.co.za/projects/chick-bolstering-project/
In November, SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) admitted over 200 Penguin chicks and has continued to rehabilitate and release penguins.
We have received word from the Cape Town facility that some African Penguins tested positive for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), there is no cure for the Avian Influenza. Unfortunately, the three penguins that tested positive were humanely euthanized. SANCCOB has been placed under quarantine until further notice in effort to minimize the spread of the virus within the facility.
SANCCOB continues to accept abandoned penguins at their off-site quarantine facility. All birds cared for at SANCCOB are being closely observed and monitored for signs of HPAI. The situation has called for additional pathology testing which can cost $60 USD/ 58 EUR/ 1,000 ZAR per bird.
Your support of the Chick Bolstering Project is needed now more than ever. Thank you for choosing to be involved in this initiative.
2023 Quarter 1
Update
Coming soon.
