Pasella shoot at SAMREC

Late last year the crew from SABC 2 magazine programme Pasella was in town to shoot a couple of inserts.  The one day was spent in the Cape Recife Nature Reserve where I was one of two guides taking them around showing off the coastline, history and plants in the reserve.  One of the stops was at the South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SAMREC) where they were told more about the work the centre does with African Penguins. …

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SAMREC needs your help

"If nothing is done to conserve the African Penguin then they will be extinct in only 4 years."   Quite an alarming statement, isn't it?  The buzz word may be rhino conservation, but I truly think that people should also start to seriously look at penguin conservation at the same time.  One place that does a sterling job here in Port Elizabeth with penguin conservation and who desperately need people to support them with funding as they support the rhino initiatives,…

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Birds in tuxes

I hope people don't mind me posting  a pic about the little tuxedo wearing marine birds at SAMREC every now and then.  SAMREC is truly one of the attractions in Port Elizabeth that has a special place in my heart and they really do an amazing job.  By posting about them I do my bit to create awareness for the protection of the African Penguins as well as the centre itself.

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Human Rights Day, but don’t forget the animals

Today is Human Rights Day in South Africa.  A day for us to remember all the wrongs of the past and to celebrate setting it on the right course into the future.  Note how I'm not just saying setting it right as this country still has a very long way to go before it will be right.  At least we are heading in the right direction.  But as we celebrate Human Rights Day we also shouldn't forget the animals.  I'm…

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Checking for sharks

Watching the penguins in the pool enclosure at SAMREC (South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre) at Cape Recife can be very interesting and often makes for great photos.  This youngster was sitting in the sun on the rocks and decided to dive into the water.  As he got to the edge of the rock he leaned forward for a look before taking the plunge.  I noticed that they all did it before diving.  Perhaps just making sure there aren't any sharks…

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SAMREC educational visits

In addition to the fantastic penguin rescue and rehabilitation work that the guys at SAMREC in Cape Recife do, they also have educational programmes running all the time whereby schools visit and get taken around the facility.  What makes the place even more amazing is that they only have two full time employees which means that the majority of work gets done by volunteers.  The last time I stopped by there was a group from a local primary school visiting.  The school group…

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SAMREC Penguin Release

A couple of weeks ago I was very fortunate to be at a SAMREC penguin release at Hobie Beach here in Port Elizabeth.  The South African Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SAMREC) is based at Cape Recife and their main aim is to save and rehabilitate the endangered African Penguins which are found on the islands in Algoa Bay.  Once the penguins have been rehabilitated they are released back into the bay to return to what is said to be the biggest breeding colony of African…

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