Tara Hayter, the Park's Head
Keeper & Education Officer, is actively involved in a number
of conservation projects both locally and internationally.
SANCCOB (South Africa’s
Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds)
SANCCOB is a non- profit rehabilitation centre
based in Cape Town that aims to conserve South Africa’s
vulnerable seabirds.
It was estimated that there were about 1.5 million adult African
penguins along the southern African coast in the 1930’s.
Human activities have reduced this number by a staggering 90%
in less than a century. The African penguin, together with over
a dozen other sea bird species found in South Africa, is considered
to be threatened and vulnerable to extinction. The centre established
since 1968 has treated over 85000 seabirds including the endangered
African Penguin.
Not only is the centre responsible for the rehabilitation
of sick, injured, oiled or orphaned seabirds but it also aims
to raise awareness about conservation through environmental
education and research.
With a small staff component, SANCCOB relies heavily
on the help of local and International volunteers.
Therefore with the support of Seaview Wildlife Encounter, in
October 2009 Tara took the opportunity to spend six weeks volunteering
at the centre.
Whilst there, Tara was actively involved with
the rehabilitation of many different seabirds including Cape
Cormorants, African Penguins, Cape Gannets and White Pelicans!
Volunteer duties included handling, feeding, hydrating
as well as the washing and rinsing of sea birds. Perhaps the
biggest challenge however was hand rearing over 90 African penguin
chicks rescued from Dyer Island. However despite all the cuts
and bruises, artificial rearing of orphaned African penguin
chicks by SANCCOB is a proven tool to bolster the population
of African Penguins in the wild.
If You would like to help SANCCOB save South Africa’s
seabirds you can:
• Adopt A Penguin
• Support the Rescue Campaign
• Become a member
• Become a volunteer
British Divers Marine Life Rescue is an organisation
dedicated to the rescue and well being of all marine animals
in distress around the UK.
BDMLR is a registered charity and is operated
entirely by volunteers. Rescue teams are on call 24 hours a
day to deal with strandings of marine animals, oil spills, fishing
gear entanglement and in fact any type of marine animal in trouble,
365 days a year.
Since 1988, BDMLR have been involved in the rescue of marine
wildlife after every major marine disaster, including the Braer
shipwreck in Shetland and the Sea Empress grounding in Milford
Haven.
Seal rescue has remained a major component of
the work of the charity, with BDMLR medics routinely rescuing
seals in all seasons. Over the years, many hundreds of seals
have been helped, the charity working closely with specialist
rehabilitation facilities to ensure their long term care and
eventual return to the wild.
Every year, BDMLR trains over 400 volunteer Marine Mammal Medics
and has 20 whale rescue pontoons located at strategic points
throughout the UK, waiting to help stranded whales and dolphins.
· Become a member
· Fundraising
· Make a donation
· Train to become a Marine Mammal Medic (dates and
locations on website)
Hampshire and Isle of
Wight Wildlife Trust
Shoresearch Project
Shoresearch is a fun and interactive survey and
recording scheme run by the marine team of the Hampshire and
Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust in which volunteers help identify
the habitats and wildlife that exist along our local shore.
Tara has been Shoresearch Volunteer Co- ordinator on the Isle
of Wight since 2008 and has conducted a number of surveys on
the local shores of the Isle of Wight.
Shoresearch not only helps to increase our overall
knowledge and understanding of our local marine environment
but also helps to identify and monitor changes that may affect
the marine life e.g. climate change, invasive species, local
developments.
Therefore volunteers are essential in order to ensure that valuable
information is collected and action is taken to help preserve
our biodiversity-rich shorelines.
If you would like to learn more about your local
shore and the marine life it contains PLEASE get in touch, GET
YOUR WELLIES ON and JOIN US in the SPRING! Surveys will be taking
place on the Island but dates are yet to be confirmed.
Booking is essential so please fill out a booking
form and email it to shoresearch@hwt.org.uk
to register your interest and we’ll contact you with
further details.
