Rangers at Boulders Beach stepped in to protect vulnerable wildlife as extreme heat swept across the Cape this week.
On Wednesday, 11 March 2026, the Table Mountain National Park Marine Unit, working alongside the City of Cape Town penguin rangers, conducted early morning and intensified patrols at the popular penguin colony in response to soaring temperatures.
During the patrols, rangers identified several African penguin chicks at risk of heat stress. A total of 19 chicks , including 17 newly hatched individuals were carefully removed from the colony to prevent overheating and possible abandonment by their parents.
The chicks were transferred to the care of SANCCOB, a seabird conservation organisation that specialises in rescuing and rehabilitating injured, abandoned and endangered seabirds.
According to conservation officials, the chicks will remain at SANCCOB until they reach their first moult. During this period they will receive specialised care, including proper nutrition and protection from the harsh weather conditions currently affecting the Western Cape.
Once the chicks are strong enough and deemed healthy by rehabilitation experts, they will be released back into the colony at Boulders Beach.
The African penguin, also known as the jackass penguin because of its distinctive braying call, is listed as Critically Endangered. Conservationists warn that the species continues to face serious threats, including climate change, declining fish stocks, habitat disturbance and extreme weather events.
Heatwaves, such as the one currently affecting the region, pose a particular risk to penguin chicks, which are highly vulnerable to dehydration and heat stress before their feathers fully develop.
Officials say proactive interventions like this rescue are essential to give young birds the best possible chance of survival.
Authorities have also urged visitors to respect the wildlife and follow all guidelines when visiting the Boulders penguin colony, including keeping a safe distance from the birds.
Wildlife rangers say protecting each chick is critical to the survival of the species, emphasising that every individual African penguin counts in the fight to prevent extinction.
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Picture: Palmtree Society/Unspalsh
