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St Croix Island Colony

St Croix Island is a 12 hectare (29.6 acre) island found 4 kilometers offshore between the Coega and Sundays River mouths. The terrain of the island is rocky.

Management Authority: South African National Parks

Population: Currently 1,543 African Penguin breeding pairs are found on St Croix Island (Based on 2021 Census).

Other Notable Species on the Island: Cape Cormorant (Microcarbo coronatus), Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii), Cape Gannet (Morus capensis), Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini), Antarctic Tern (Sterna vittata), Angolan Spiny-tailed Lizard (Cordylus angolensis), Spotted Thick-toed Gecko (Pachydactylus maculatus)

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
A Juvenile African Penguin Chick has it's bill open and is in mid-gulp with the tail fin of a fish sticking out of its mouth. The juvenile penguin is held in-between the legs of a SANCCOB Volunteer. The image of the volunteer is from the shoulders down. They are wearing seafoam green waders and elbow high black rubber gloves.
African Penguin Chick at SANCCOB.
Photo source: SANCCOB, https://sanccob.co.za/projects/chick-bolstering-project/

St Croix Island Colony Map

African Penguin
Population Trends:

Decreasing arrow

African Penguin Conservation Status:

Endangered

Endangered bar
Updates from the field border image with African Penguin and a noebook.

2022 Quarter 4
Update

African Penguin chick being held by SANCCOB volunteer.
African Penguin being held by SANCCOB volunteer.
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.

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