Update on Penguins

On July 26th the team has received and examined the ten birds that were transferred by PROFAUMA, from Montevideo. These 10 birds include some that had first been at Karumbé, the turtle rehabilitation group in Uruguay.

Half of the new intakes are underweight and are not healthy enough to be washed at this time. After some difficulty with customs, the team has now received the permanent bands to be placed on the birds prior to release. These are IFAW bands and allows for these birds to be identified in the field at a later date.

The birds in care are doing well and two new birds were received at SOCOBIOMA.

Totals are currently as follows:

Total of oiled birds- 53 Magellanic penguins.

In care- 48.

20- are clean and the plan is to wash a few of the new penguins in best condition today.

The team is heading back to Brazil tomorrow and SOCOBIOMA’s staff and volunteers are planning to wash more birds as they meet wash criteria during the next few days. PROFAUMA is also planning to send volunteers over the weekend who will continue to learn the care protocols and waterproofing techniques.

Rodolfo will return in a week to work on evaluating and banding the birds for release.

José Maria Barredo, IFAW’s international intern is in Argentina helping Fundación Mundo Marino (FMM) with their 86 cleaned penguins in treatment and will head to Uruguay to help Rodolfo and SOCOBIOMA finish the rehabilitation process. At FMM a total of 130 oiled birds were treated in 2007 and 40 of these were already released.

The team has been interviewed and participated in a 10 minute TV program called Contacto on Canal 11 de Maldonado; and a summary of this show was presented in Canal 4 of Montevideo and La Red Uruguaya (National TV).

The team’s biggest challenge is still obtaining fish.

Submitted by: Valeria Ruoppolo and Barbara Callahan