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FILM CREWS VISIT DYER ISLAND AND THE RESCUE OF ORPHANED AFRICAN PENGUIN CHICKS
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 Two local film crews visited Dyer Island recently, the In Sync crew (August 2008) and Wild Ltd crew (November 2008), both filmed documentaries to raise awareness of the plight of the vulnerable African Penguin and the success of the artificial nesting project. On Dyer Island, chicks that hatch late in the season (September onwards) are frequently abandoned by their parents when the weather gets too hot and as food supplies diminish. In addition, adult penguins begin their annual moult at this time of the year, rendering the birds land-bound and therefore unable to feed their chicks. If not removed from the island, these chicks will die through a lack of food or unfavourable conditions. Due to the massive decline in penguin numbers, conservation authorities remove these chicks to bolster the wild colonies. This year, 40 orphan chicks were removed from Dyer Island and transported to the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) for hand-rearing. The fledglings will then be re-introduced to the wild around mid December to January. In 2006, SANCCOB reared 841 orphaned chicks and another 481 in 2007. Research has shown that these hand-reared and released chicks show higher survivorship than their wild counterparts, making each individual chick extremely valuable in conservation efforts of this vulnerable species.
 
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