Table Mountain National Park

Research and Projects

Saving the Endangered African Penguin at Boulders

TMNP’s partner in African penguin conservation

Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) is a non-profit seabird rehabilitation centre predominantly responsible for conserving the African penguin which is considered vulnerable to extinction due to massive population declines in the past century. SANCCOB fulfills this role by the rescue, rehabilitation and release of oiled, ill, injured and hand-rearing of orphaned seabirds, especially the African penguin.

Since 1968, SANCCOB has treated more than 85 000 seabirds. Conserving the African penguin cannot only be done by decreasing the mortality rates during disasters, e.g. SANCCOB’s rehabilitation efforts during oil spills, but also by increasing the natural breeding success rate of the African penguin. SANCCOB fully supports the Nest Box Project at Boulders Beach. Together with Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT), SANParks have taken a giant step in providing shelter and protection to assist the African penguins in their breeding attempts.