title: Hand-rearing, release and survival of African penguin chicks abandoned before independence by moulting parents.
abstract: The African penguin Spheniscus demersus has an 'Endangered' conservation status and a decreasing population. Following abandonment, 841 African penguin chicks in 2006 and 481 in 2007 were admitted to SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) for hand-rearing from colonies in the Western Cape, South Africa, after large numbers of breeding adults commenced moult with chicks still in the nest. Of those admitted, 91% and 73% respectively were released into the wild. There were veterinary concerns about avian malaria, airsacculitis and pneumonia, feather-loss and pododermatitis (bumblefoot). Post-release juvenile (0.32, s.e.  = 0.08) and adult (0.76, s.e.  = 0.10) survival rates were similar to African penguin chicks reared after oil spills and to recent survival rates recorded for naturally-reared birds. By December 2012, 12 birds had bred, six at their colony of origin, and the apparent recruitment rate was 0.11 (s.e.  = 0.03). Hand-rearing of abandoned penguin chicks is recommended as a conservation tool to limit mortality and to bolster the population at specific colonies. The feasibility of conservation translocations for the creation of new colonies for this species using hand-reared chicks warrants investigation. Any such programme would be predicated on adequate disease surveillance programmes established to minimise the risk of disease introduction to wild birds.
authors.affiliation: Animal Demography Unit and Marine Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Western Cape, South Africa; Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Sherley
authors.affiliation: Animal Demography Unit and Marine Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Western Cape, South Africa; CapeNature, Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa.
authors.forename: Lauren J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.affiliation: Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, Bloubergrant, Western Cape, South Africa.
authors.forename: Venessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.affiliation: CapeNature, Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa.
authors.forename: Deon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Geldenhuys
authors.affiliation: Animal Demography Unit and Marine Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
authors.forename: Les G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Underhill
authors.affiliation: Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds, Bloubergrant, Western Cape, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nola J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Parsons
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D056727:Endangered Species; D006801:Humans; D008289:Malaria, Avian / Q000401:mortality*; D018978:Molting; D013019:South Africa; D046429:Spheniscidae