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Albatross found on Southbroom beach dies despite great efforts to save him
Ann Kunz of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr), said the bird had been found in distress at Southbroom main beach last Thursday.
An albatross rescued at Southbroom beach last week unfortunately died in Durban despite every attempt to save its life.
The large ocean bird, named Albert, was an adult Indian yellow-nosed albatross.
Ann Kunz of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (Saambr), said the bird had been found in distress at Southbroom main beach last Thursday.
She explained that while the breed was the most common of the albatross species in Kwazulu-Natal, it was hardly ever found on beaches, and that they tended to venture further north in the winter months.
“Unless they are in trouble, they are not usually encountered on our beaches. This particularly magnificent bird was without doubt in trouble and in need of a helping hand,” said Kunz.
“Although we do not know whether our patient was male or female, we referred to him as male and called him Albert,” she said.
Albert was initially taken by the Lower South Coast SPCA to local veterinarian, Dr Leon Bruggeman at Margate Veterinary Hospital, who performed a preliminary health assessment.
He did radiographs to see if there were any fishing hooks or other foreign bodies present.
The bird was thereafter transported to uShaka Sea World courtesy of the SPCA.
“He presented very lethargic, and this was a cause for concern. He did not have any fractures nor external injuries and his radiographs identified no internal fishing hooks. It was possible that he could have been exhausted after being windblown out at sea.”
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