African penguins have declined by 98% since the early 1900s, but behind every rescued penguin is a team of people who refuse to give up on them. A new documentary recognised at the 2026 International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA) is bringing global attention to the conservation battle unfolding on Gansbaai’s doorstep.
Dyer Island was once home to around 25 000 breeding pairs of the African Penguin, only less than 900 pairs remain today. Now, the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary short film – produced by Rockpool Media – was named as a finalist for the 2026 ITFFA.
The festival had 438 entries across 47 countries. Moreover, the Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Conservation Trust short film was recognised under the Tourism Products: Marine Tourism category. But the recognition is “ultimately as story of hope”.
“It shines a light on the people working every day to protect and rehabilitate seabirds, improve breeding success, monitor colonies and support long-term conservation interventions,” says Christine Wessels, public relations officer and personal assistant to the CEO. “[It] also highlights the role that responsible tourism can play in conservation. There has never been a more important time to tell the story of the African Penguin.”
The film was shot over the period of two years across mulitple visits and seasons, capturing authentic moments within the sanctuary and broader marine envrionment.
Husband and wife duo, Anton Leach and Jasmin Duthie, helmed the production and helped tell and amplify the story and conservation of the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary on Dyer Island.
Christine says that penguins do not follow a script and “every bird that arrives at the sanctuary has its own story, personality and medical needs”. Therefore, the filmakers and crew needed a lot of patience to find “those special moments that truly reflect the dedication of the staff, volunteers and conservation teams” working behind the scenes.
“Many of the penguins admitted to [the sanctuary] eventually return to the same waters that our guests visit on our marine tours. There is something incredibly special about knowing that a bird rehabilitated by the sanctuary may one day be swimming freely around Dyer Island again,” says Christine.
She adds that the challenges that many African Penguins and other species sometimes face can get overwhelming, but finding solutions is part of the conservation and the people working to create and find solutions work together to achieve remarkable outcomes.
With African Penguins classified critically endangered and alarming statistics, every guest who joins the marine experiences contributes to the awareness and generation of support for species that truly need it. Every guest contributes towards research, conservation and environmental education initiatives.
“One of the things many people don’t realise is how much scientific research has been supported through our tourism operations over the past 25 years,” says Christine. “The work conducted in the greater Dyer Island area has contributed to more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific publications.”
“As custodians of the greater Dyer Island area, we see everyday how dedicated people can achieve remarkable outcomes when they work together for nature. That is the story we hope stays with viewers long after the film ends,” adds Christine.
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