Contribution starting at $3,750
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12 days (avg. $313 a day) Includes accommodations, food, and all related research costs
BOOK WITH A $500 DEPOSIT
View Dates & Join
Wildlife & Ecosystems

South African Penguins

Location
Robben Island, Cape Town, South Africa, Africa Map it
Lead Scientist
Richard Sherley, Ph.D.
Activity Level
Moderate
Accommodations
Wilderness Camp/Dorm
Food
Shared meals
View Expedition Briefing
Download Field Report

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COVID-19 safety protocols

Colony of African penguins
Earthwatch volunteers release captured penguins (C) Sara Stroman
Earthwatch volunteers collect data on an African penguin (C) Caroline Edgar
A female African penguin on her nest (C) Sara Stroman
Earthwatch volunteers monitor African penguin habitat (C) Tania Taranovski
Earthwatch volunteers head to the research site (C) Tania Taranovski
A view of Robben Island from Cape Town (C) Caroline Dunn
Colony of African penguins
Earthwatch volunteers release captured penguins (C) Sara Stroman
Earthwatch volunteers collect data on an African penguin (C) Caroline Edgar
A female African penguin on her nest (C) Sara Stroman
Earthwatch volunteers monitor African penguin habitat (C) Tania Taranovski
Earthwatch volunteers head to the research site (C) Tania Taranovski
A view of Robben Island from Cape Town (C) Caroline Dunn

Ninety percent of the penguin population on Robben Island has disappeared over the past 100 years. You can help conserve their habitat and protect their population.

An Earthwatch volunteer carefully weighs an African penguin

Robben Island is a hotspot for seabird biodiversity, including endangered cape cormorants, bank cormorants, and 2,900 African penguins. It lies in the middle of major shipping lanes, and the risk of oil spills to local seabirds has been well documented. You can help a team of Earthwatch scientists monitor seabirds on the island and help reduce the impact of the various threats to this fragile environment.

Working with experienced researchers and staff, your team will participate in various activities to monitor the health of this island environment. You’ll conduct population surveys on penguins and other seabirds to determine their breeding success and survival, monitor chick body condition as part of a globally unique experiment into the impacts of local fishing, and perhaps even help deploy high-tech tracking technology to monitor penguins' behavior at sea.

Your research will bring you face-to-face with the problems seabirds face, such as predation by seals and competition with fisheries.

 

 

A Typical Itinerary

  • Day 1: Rendezvous, briefing, ferry to Robben Island
  • Days 2–5: Monitoring penguins, measuring chicks, deploying tracking technology, helping injured penguins
  • Days 6 & 7: Recreational Days. Volunteers may take the ferry to Cape Town overnight and/or participate in recommended tours and activities (at their own expense) or remain on the island to rest and explore its natural and cultural heritage sites.
  • Days 8–11: Monitoring penguins, measuring chicks, deploying tracking technology, helping injured penguins
  • Day 12: Departure at a time depending on ferry schedule and weather

     

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HOW YOU WILL HELP

You’ll first receive an orientation to the island and visit the penguin colony to learn about research aims and methods. Then, you'll help:

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Earthwatch volunteers on March and April teams will be present for the beginning of the penguin breeding season; they'll help record where penguins are nesting and select the penguin pairs to be studied throughout the season.
MONITOR PENGUIN NESTS

Volunteers on March and April teams will be present for the beginning of the penguin breeding season; they'll help record where penguins are nesting and select the penguin pairs to be studied throughout the season. Groups that follow will continue to monitor nests.

Earthwatch volunteers will help to weigh and measure penguin chicks. This data will be used to assess their body condition index (a bit like BMI in humans) and will help researchers assess the benefit of a newly-established Marine Protected Area around Robben Island.
ASSESS CHICK BODY CONDITION

Volunteers will help to weigh and measure penguin chicks. This data will be used to assess their body condition index (a bit like BMI in humans). They will help researchers assess the benefit of a newly established Marine Protected Area around Robben Island.

Earthwatch volunteers capture an injured penguin (C) Alix Morris
HELP INJURED BIRDS

Most of this work happens in July and August when penguins finish breeding and abandon their nests. The research team sees the most injured and oiled penguins during this period, and you'll get hands-on with these birds to help them heal.

Field conditions and research needs can change the itinerary and activities. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

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FEEDBACK & QUESTIONS

5 Reviews on this Expedition

If you have been on this expedition, others considering attending would love to hear about your experience.
Carol Pierobon Hofer |
A behind the scenes experience like no other
Having almost total access to an island the way few people are allowed in of itself is amazing. Every day brought many learning experiences, findings, and skill-building challenges. It was the best way to fully understand the life cycle and plight of the South African penguin. I gained so much field knowledge working alongside scientists. A bonus was seeing and learning about the other wildlife on Robben Island such as springboks and tortoises.
Joan Lacktis |
Penguins and Prisons
Whoever gets to hold a baby penguin? People on this expedition do. It's a great break from the daily distractions of life to spend two weeks on an island with no internet or shopping centers or traffic. Spend your days checking nests and watching the babies grow, sometimes pulling them out to weigh and measure to make sure they are thriving. Work with passionate and well-informed leaders to learn about these amazing, courageous little creatures. Cooking and eating together gives time to learn about each other, solve the problems of the world, and learn more abut penguins. And you will have an opportunity to tour the former prison, a UNESCO world heritage site, and learn some of South Africa's history and appreciate how much has changed in just 20 years. This trip exceeded my expectations in every way and I feel fortunate that I was able to participate.

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