This Easter, SANCCOB is asking you to adopt an egg. A penguin egg!
South Africa (23 March 2026) – With over 500 African penguin eggs admitted to the nursery this year and chicks hatching every day, SANCCOB could use all the penguin love you can muster!
While most of our minds are drifting ever-so-closely toward marshmallow and speckled eggs around this time of year, the dedicated crew at SANCCOB are focused on eggs of its own.
Following the record-breaking news of 150 hatchlings in February, numbers have continued to climb in the seabird nursery, which is officially ‘cheeping’ at max capacity.
The nursery is the busiest its ever been, currently home to approximately 180 hungry, growing chicks, and there are over 100 more are still tucked away in incubators.
The ‘hatchday’ celebrations keep on coming. With fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs left in the wild, it’s the happiest news! But it also brings massive demand for time and resources.
“This hatchling season has been the most demanding in SANCCOB’s history, with the highest number of eggs and hatchlings ever admitted. Our dedicated staff and interns have been working around the clock to provide the specialised care these vulnerable chicks require. Each chick is weighed daily, assigned a unique identification number, and placed on an individualised feeding plan tailored to its development and nutritional needs.” says Romy Klusner, SANCCOB’s Senior Conservation Manager.
Keeping that many critically endangered African Penguin chicks healthy is a huge undertaking that requires 24/7 dedication. Feeding is a task on its own, but so is maintaining a safe, sterile environment where these little ones can thrive. The team is working day and night to manage everything from strict biosecurity to individual care for every single bird.
“The team has done an exceptional job managing this unprecedented intake…It remains an ‘all hands-on deck’ effort, and we anticipate several more months of intensive feeding, monitoring, and care.” says Romy.
To help meet the demand, SANCCOB has launched the ‘Adopt an Easter Egg’ campaign. For R300, supporters can become an official African penguin ‘egg parent’ and help a chick that needs support.
“Purchasing a SANCCOB adoption directly supports the artificial incubation and hand‑rearing of endangered African Penguin chicks.” says Romy.
Adopting and sharing the news also helps raise awareness about the challenges facing the species while providing essential funding for SANCCOB’s daily operational needs.
“This includes feeding, medical care, and the specialised equipment required to give each chick the best possible chance of survival before release back into the wild.” says Romy.
Because the intake is so high, SANCCOB is also looking for some extra hands to join the mission and help give these chicks the best possible start in life.
“We also urgently need long‑term interns who can assist with feeding and caring for the chicks. SANCCOB offers structured four- and six-month internships, with all training provided onsite, giving interns hands‑on experience with critically endangered African Penguin chicks.”
Every single egg that hatches represents a massive glimmer of hope for the species. Every bit of help along the way makes a difference.
Click here to Adopt an Egg or support SANCCOB today!
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