Western Cape, South Africa: Photo Essay

How fortunate we are to see and experience incredible spectacles of nature. It’s easy to see the beauty of this penguin and its reflection, but I see something more: the beauty of water that is taken back to reveal the sand which becomes the mirror that reflects the drama and splendor of nature in perfect detail.

The African Penguin is listed in the Red Data Book as an endangered species.  Of 1,5 million African Penguin population estimated in 1910, only some 10% remained at the end of the 20th century.  The uncontrolled harvesting of penguin eggs (as a source of food), and guano scraping, nearly drove the species to extinction. * 


According to Boulders Beach staffers, Climate Change has affected fish stocks and increased severe weather incidences have depleted penguin chicks in numbers. When I asked a Boulders Beach staffer if tourism had a negative impact, his reply, "No, just the opposite. Your visit help sparked a lifelong commitment to saving their future."

Because of their donkey-like braying call they were previously called the Jackass Penguin.  Since several species of South American penguins produce the same sound, the local birds have been renamed African penguins, as they are the only example of the species that breed in Africa.*
They can swim at an average speed of seven kilometers per hour, and can stay submerged for up to two minutes.*

It’s sad that the US president does not believe in climate change or global warming. The fragility of our environment is clearly evident now more than ever. Our planet earth is worth protecting. Much like the sand, we too can be mirrors and reflect the best in one another to spur each other into action.
Their distinctive white and black coloring is a vital form of camouflage - white for underwater predators looking upwards and black for predators looking down onto the water.*
Peak moulting time is during December, after which they head out to sea to feed (since they do not feed during moulting), They return in January to mate and begin nesting from about February to August.*




NOTE:  

1.  Photos by the author and Vincent Chan.
2.  * Penguin Facts from South African National Parks, Boulders Penguin Colony literature.


Comments

Post a Comment

NEW POSTS

The Banaue Rice Terraces: A Living Cultural Landscape

Image
My interest in exploring the northern part of the Philippines started from looking at a piece of art at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, California.   Among the display of ceramics and pottery engraved with gold and other decorative stuff,  a wooden carving of a male figure squatting on a platform with the lower arms on top of each other, resting upon his knees, caught my eye.  According to the docent, the wooden sculpture was called "Bului" which literally means "granary guardian" in the "Ifugao" tribe dialect. The carved wooden sculpture was set on a platform on top of another platform, a mortar.   Our docent explained the significance of the wooden mortar (which was used with the pestle, to separate the husk from the rice, sort of rice mill) and linked the story to the Rice Terraces in the Cordillera Mountains of the Philippines built 2000 years ago by the “Ifugao” tribe. So two years and three hundred kilometers north of Manila later, we explo
Read more

Kenya Safari: Masai Mara National Park

Image
Witnessing the Drama of Wildlife at Masai Mara  Venturing into the wilds of Masai Mara National Park in Kenya promised an adventure unlike any other. Having previously experienced the thrill of a safari in South Africa's Kruger National Park, where I encountered the famed big-five, I eagerly awaited a different spectacle this time: the great migration. Timing my journey for August, I hoped to witness this awe-inspiring phenomenon firsthand, only to arrive a week late. Despite missing the migration, what unfolded was a safari filled with unforgettable moments of nature's raw drama and deep insights into animal behavior.  I saw lots of animals; from different types of antelopes, elephants, necking giraffes, leopards, mongoose, to gentle zebras and the so-called ugly-five (hyenas, marabou stork, warthogs, hippos & vultures) to birds (Marshall eagles, vultures & secretary birds that take off and land like an airplane.) Encounters with Lions Our first game drive immersed us
Read more

Kenya: The Pink Lake

Image
Encountering the Majesty of Pink Flamingos at Lake Elementaita. Stepping into the serene wilderness of Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya was a journey filled with unexpected marvels. Just on my second day in this breathtaking country, I embarked on an unforgettable safari that would forever be etched in my memory. A Rough Journey to Serenity Leaving behind the bustling Rift Valley, our path to Lake Elementaita, where our lodge awaited, was not without its challenges. A rugged, unpaved road tested our patience with its deep potholes over a 7-kilometer stretch. Yet, as we ascended towards the lodge perched atop a mountain, the vista that greeted us was nothing short of spectacular. Before us lay Lake Elementaita, its shores seemingly adorned with a pink hue that beckoned us closer. Later that day, our guide proposed a nature walk within Soysambu Conservancy. Boarding a safari jeep, we ventured through the conservancy's gates, treated to a mini game drive where impalas, buffalos and an ar
Read more