The Residents Association of Dana Bay Conservancy We care about our environment

SAPREC = Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Center

On the 28th May there was great excitement at the Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre when a Southern Giant Petrel was brought in.  It was found on the beach at Stilbaai.
This is a rare sighting as most (90%) of giant petrels are dark and a small percentage are white.
 
The bird was aneamic and underweight and underwent medication for 10 days and had a huge appetite eating up to 10 fish per day.
 
On the 10th June we went 5km offshore to release the bird but unfortunately was not strong enough to take off.  It is now back at the centre where it will continue to build up its strength and we will be back at sea in a weeks time to attempt release it again.
 
If anybody is interested please contact Carol Walton at 082 364 3382

Carol and the Petrel after the first release at Dana Bay, Second Beach,failed.

Southern Giant petrel information(extract from Marg Healy - Australia)
There are two species of Giant-petrels - Northern Macronectes Halli and Southern Macronectes giganteus. They are extremely similar.
Southern Giant-petrels Macronectes giganteus are currently classified as endangered.  They have circumpolar pelagic ranges from Antarctica to 20°S.  They nest in small
colonies on the Antarctic continent and peninsula and sub-antarctic islands. With both species, a single chick is raised although only approximately 70% of the potential breeding population nests annually. The current global population of Southern Giant Petrels was recently estimated to be 31,300 breeding pairs. This represents a reduction of 17% from a previous estimate in 1985.

Threats to both Giant-petrels are long-line fishing, predation by cats and rats in breeding areas and habitat degradation by Caribou, sheep and rabbits. Potential
threats are loss of the southern cuttlefish populations and oil spills.  Environmental changes affecting sea and air temperatures may alter upwellings and hence
marine prey availability.

Most Giant-petrels recovered alive or dead on mainland Australia are juveniles who disperse from breeding colonies and travel north-east on the strong, westerly winds of the sub-antarctic convergence. Both species do not breed until they are over 6 years old and their life span is not known.

Most birds should only be in care for a maximum of six weeks.  These birds in the wild travel constantly and do not spend much time on land. Southern Giant-petrels in care are much more interested in carrion and rarely eat fish.  A Giant-petrel weighs 4.5 – 5kg.  As ocean-wandering, antarctic birds, giant-petrels are broad-winged and heavy and need a strong wind to lift off. A sloping hill with a gradient of 45 - 50° falling into the ocean is ideal. In order for the bird to be able to lift off easily, there needs to be an onshore wind of at least 20 knots.

Anyone who has rehabilitated a Giant-petrel will tell you what amazing birds they are and they quickly become a favourite. They are cheeky and generally gentle and tend to be well-behaved and have a strong instinct for survival.