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THE SITE
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Cape Recife was chosen as the most suitable site
for the Centre in view of its locality and nature.
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The area is a municipal nature reserve and public
access can be restricted at times of release.
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The beach release site is accessible by large
inter-linked trucks required for large penguin releases as experienced
during the Treasure disaster.
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Due to the shape of the reef and the prevailing SW
and SE winds a lee shore is created
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The rocky and sandy shoreline is ideal for
educational purposes.
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The existing nature reserve offers a terrestrial
biosphere for environmental education.
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There is an abundance of food for marine animals in
the Cape Recife area.
THE DESIGN
The centre has been designed to provide world-class
standard facilities which will cater for a number of widely divergent
activities. These include animal rehabilitation, environmental education,
tourism and research.
It will provide for the active rescue of animals, and
for their rehabilitation. It will operate with a stranding network of
trained volunteers and a response team which will collect animals in need
of assistance.
It will house approximately 200 penguins at any one
time, and with additional temporary facilities will have a maximum
housing capacity of 2,500 penguins. In addition it will be able to house
20-30 other seabirds,6-8 adult seals ,10-12 seal pups and several
turtles.
The education facility will allow for a gathering
space to organise the children on arrival and several classrooms and
outdoor areas where they can receive instruction.
Tourist viewing will be available on either guided or
self guided tours with education about the animals, especially the
penguin, of prime importance.
Any viewing of the rehabilitation process will be
done without compromising the animals.
Research facilities will provide laboratories as well
as accommodation for post-graduate researchers and for rehabilitation
workers who might have to overnight at the centre while caring for the
animals.
Who will we treat
Our main concern is saving the African penguin. We
will be monitoring the islands and local beaches in order to find any
penguins in trouble. These will be taken back to the centre to be treated
accordingly. The most common problem occurring at present is oiling. Our
facilities will have specially designed wash areas and drying rooms. The
Ergonomics Department of Rhodes University have studied the process of
rehabilitation and have designed equipment for the comfort of both the
bird and handler.
Other seabirds such as gannets and cormorants will be
treated as well as marine turtles.
The endemic Cape fur seal is often found with fishing
line and plastic debris entanglement and each breeding season the pups
are washed off the breeding island and are stranded on our beaches. When
possible and with the help of local boat operators and The National Sea
Rescue these will be returned to the island as soon as possible. Special
pools will be built to house any seals that are unable to be returned
immediately so that they will acquire the necessary skills for survival
in the wild. These pools will have rocks and wave action.
Each winter Sub Antarctic Seals visit our beaches.
Often they only need a rest. We will attempt to protect them from the
public and if necessary and possible will treat them on the beach.
Otters from the Cape Recife Nature Reserve are
sometimes in need of assistance and there will be an area set aside for
them.
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