Duo tackle six day waddle for penguins

USHAKA Sea World's Zama Shandu and Londi Shezi have taken up the challenge and are currently walking 120 kilometres along the Western Cape coast to create awareness about the plight of the African Penguin.

The duo set off at sunrise in Gansbaai on Monday, 13 April and will walk an average of 20 kilometres a day for six days. Their journey ends on Saturday, 18 April at the Boulders Beach penguin colony in Simons Town.

They will be joined by 14 animal keepers and other penguin enthusiasts from around the country who are committed to encouraging their fellow South Africans to urgently make lifestyle changes in order to minimise their personal environmental footprints.

“The African penguin only has one home, one food source and one chance and it is up to us to ensure that the southern ocean coastline is a place where penguins not only survive, but thrive,” said Shandu.

Shezi said it was time for people to take responsibility for protecting our natural heritage. “The African penguin is both an iconic animal as well as an ocean indicator species – the status of the penguin reflects the state of the ocean – and the picture doesn’t look good,” she said.

African penguins are not found anywhere else in the world except in southern Africa and their numbers have plummeted at an alarming rate. Currently it is estimated that their numbers are lower than 40 000 which is less than half the total population of 10 years

ago. The African penguin could become extinct within the next 14 years should environment conditions not improve.

There are many possible reasons for their recent decline. These include depletion of fish stocks due to over fishing, climate change and pollution. Shandu and Shezi have been training for the past few months and are ready for both the

physical challenge as well as the environmental challenge. Follow them on www.penguinpromises.com