Earthwatch Scientist Helps Clean Up Oiled Penguins
A disastrous oil spill off the coast of South Africa threatens thousands of penguins and provides a valuable test of the banding methods being tested by Earthwatch teams.
Earthwatch scientist Dr. Peter Barham helped clean up the approximately 23,000 penguins that were "oiled" as a result of a June shipwreck between Robben and Dassen Islands, where almost half of all South African Penguins live. Another 20,000 penguins were evacuated about 960 kilometers up the coast, and allowed to return safely to the islands once the oil had dispersed or was cleaned up. This tragic accident, at the peak of the penguin breeding season, has highlighted the need for Barham's work testing the efficacy of penguin-banding techniques for population and behavior studies.
Earthwatch Institute is an international nonprofit organization which supports scientific field research worldwide by offering members of the public unique opportunities to work alongside leading field scientists and researchers. The Institute's mission is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment