{"id":267974,"date":"2025-07-14T10:22:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T08:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/rangers-brave-storms-to-rescue-dozens-of-chicks\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T11:23:41","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T09:23:41","slug":"rangers-brave-storms-to-rescue-dozens-of-chicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/rangers-brave-storms-to-rescue-dozens-of-chicks\/","title":{"rendered":"Rangers brave storms to rescue dozens of chicks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the aftermath of severe winter storms battering the Western Cape coastline, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds’ (Sanccob) dedicated seabird rangers have once again stepped up to rescue vulnerable seabird chicks from flooded nests and harsh weather conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 30 storm\u2013battered seabird chicks \u2014 among them critically endangered African Penguins and endangered Bank Cormorants \u2014 are now safe and recovering in the nursery at Sanccob Table\u202fView after an intense month of winter weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur rangers know every corner of their colonies,\u201d says Romy\u202fKlusener, Conservation Impact Manager at Sanccob Table\u202fView. \u201cThey dig drainage lines, pile brush around nest sites, and monitor incoming storms so we avoid disturbing nests unless it\u2019s absolutely necessary. But the recent swells were so severe that intervention became the only option.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rangers
Rangers rescue and care for storm-battered African Penguin and Bank Cormorant chicks after severe winter storms along the Western Cape coast.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How the crisis unfolded<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Between 21\u202fMay and 26\u202fJune, back\u2013to\u2013back cold fronts lashed the colonies at Stony\u202fPoint and Simon\u2019s Town. Waves surged over shoreline ledges, sweeping three species of cormorant chicks \u2014 Crowned, White\u2013breasted and Bank \u2014 clean from their nests. At the same time, torrential rain flooded dozens of African Penguin burrows, leaving chicks soaked, chilled and at risk of drowning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rangers raced in, first stabilising the most fragile birds on site under heat lamps before transferring those in poor body condition to Sanccob\u2019s clinic. Two penguin chicks perked up quickly enough to be returned to their nests when the weather calmed and their parents came back. The rest were deemed too compromised to stay in the colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A tally of tiny survivors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In Stony\u202fPoint<\/h5>\n\n\n\n