Endangered Species
The dramatic rescue of thousands of oil-stricken African penguins
Penguins are rescued in vast numbers after an oil spill off the coast of South Africa. Dassen and Robben Islands were home to about half of the total world population of the African penguin, a species declared vulnerable - and that was before the slick hit.
When the penguins were found to be oiled, the two main local conservation groups immediately started capturing them. Soon, WWF and the International Fund for Animal Welfare became actively involved. The islands were fenced off so the birds could not go to sea, and a few days later the biggest ever evacuation of birds started. More than 50,000 penguins had to be captured and transported in boxes to Cape Town. Each bird was scrubbed by hand using a mild detergent. The result was the best record for saving birds from an oil spill in modern history. Beautifully shot from beginning to end of the ordeal, this story addresses the triumph of survival.
Produced by Londolozi
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