Freedom beckons for rescued Scottburgh penguin, Groot
After months of rehabilitation, Groot has been declared ready for release. He, together with Indigo, a penguin found stranded in Zinkwazi in 2017, were taken to Port Elizabeth.
LATE last year Elliot Hall, a businessman and voluntary lifeguard at the Scottburgh Lifesaving Club, captured an injured juvenile jackass penguin.
Elliot’s intervention was timely – the penguin’s life was in danger as it had started moulting. For penguins, this process is sometimes referred to as a ‘catastrophic moult’ as they shed all their feathers at once.
During this period penguins usually stay on land and fast for two to three weeks, relying on built-up fat reserves to tide them over until their new feathers emerge.
Kelly de Klerk, principal caregiver and animal behaviourist at uShaka Marine World, collected the penguin, named Groot after the Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy character.
ALSO READ: Lifeguard saves lost ‘jackass’ at Scottburgh beach
After months of rehabilitation, Groot has been declared ready for release. He, together with Indigo, a penguin found stranded in Zinkwazi in 2017, were taken to Port Elizabeth.
The duo made a remarkable recovery during their stay at uShaka and are now in the care of the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) where they are being prepared for release.
During this preparation period, caregivers will make sure both penguins are socially bonded within a group of penguins as they are social birds which rely heavily on one another for survival.
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