African Penguins and rare seabirds on Dyer Island in South Africa (00003514)

Description: African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) and other rare seabirds breed on Dyer Island, six sea miles off the coast of Gansbaai/South Africa. The ruins of a former guano station are still visible. After the guano supplies were depleted, seal beaters and penguin hunters arrived on the island. Penguins were hunted for their oil until 1919. The African Penguin population in South Africa declined by over 50% between 1956 and 1978, partly due to overfishing in their food grounds. African Penguins are listed as an endangered species in the Washington Endangered Species Act. Dyer Island and its wildlife are now fully protected, with only a conservationist and occasionally a biologist residing on the island.

Location: Western Cape, Dyer Island, South Africa

Date of Capture: 13.05.2001