The water is the only place these birds are graceful |
I originally wanted to study abroad in 南非 to get a chance to go on a safari and see the Big Five -- lion, 大象, 好望角野牛, 豹, 和犀牛. 我一点也不知道, I would not only see these animals, but I would also have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to volunteer at the 南非n Marinebird Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SAMREC). The International Student Centre at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in 伊丽莎白港 has set up different types of volunteering experiences that the students can be a part of. Most of them include playing with children and helping with homework, but being the animal-lover that I am, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to volunteer with penguins!
Fed penguins waiting to go swim |
Every day at SAMREC brings a new experience -- you never know when someone will call to say that they are bringing in an injured bird (or four), or when people will come to tour the facility while you're cleaning penguin poop off the rocks. Yes, it's a messy job, but it's very rewarding. Through feeding the penguins fish, cleaning and bandaging an injured feet, 并接纳一只新鸟, I have learned more about these amazing creatures than I ever thought I would. You begin to learn not only their names, but also their individual personalities -- Eddie is laid-back, 而霍莉是个怪物.
Feeding time for the Cape Cormorant |
The most rewarding part of volunteering at SAMREC is when they release the birds back into the wild every few weeks -- there has only been one bird release since I began volunteering, which I missed because I was on a safari seeing the Big Five! The African penguin is an endangered species due to many different factors, so being able to rehabilitate and release them is an amazing feeling. SAMREC does a lot of education on not only the birds and other marine species, 还有水污染问题, 气候变化, and other local marine problems.
"You are the solution to pollution!" |
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