Gannets return to Lambert's Bay
West Coast - South Africa
A recent visit to Lambert's Bay to see the gannets on Bird Island was a big disappointment as all the birds (all 14000 of them) had left.
The locals were extremely worried about the gannets as they had attracted many tourists which boosted the economy of the little west coast town.
The cause of the birds leaving was the colony of seals that live nearby,
Seals on Bird Island
At night one or two bull seals raided the breeding grounds where the birds have their nests and killed more than 200 adults and chicks for no apparent reason.
Gannets are normally prey for the seals but they usually hunt them in the day while the chicks are learning to fly and are following their parents out to sea.
The gannets which are caught are eaten by the seals but in the case of the night raids they just killed the gannets for the pleasure of doing it.
These attacks caused great consternation in the gannet colony and eventually lead to an en masse exit of the birds from the island.
Where the gannets went to no one really knows.
Some people think that they migrated to Bird Island near Port Elizabeth where there is another gannet colony.
Bird Island at Lambert's Bay is about a 100 metres offshore and is connected to the mainland by a causeway which was built in 1959.
Unfortunately the causeway allows cats to enter the colony and prey on the gannets at night which might be another reason for their departure.
With the exodus of the gannets the island is deserted but for a few penguins, terns and seagulls.
Penguins
Before the departure of the gannets Cape Nature Conservation who manage the island, built pathways through the colony and a viewing centre on the island, which includes a small museum and a pool where crippled penguins that could not make it at sea are kept and fed.
These facilities are open daily for visitors.
On my recent visit ( April 2005) the pathways and island were deserted and there was an air of gloom in the town.
Thankfully for Lambert's Bay all that has changed.
After an absence of about eight months the gannets started returning to the island in June 2006.
They arrived in ones and twos and stayed for short periods before flying away again.
These birds must have been scouts sent ahead to test the safety of the island for the rest of the flock.
There must have been a favourable report by the spies as towards the end of July the gannets returned en masse to the island.
Estimates by Cape Nature Conservation put the new population of birds at 11000 where it was about 14000 before the birds left.
Who cares about the numbers as the people of Lambert's Bay are overjoyed at the return of the gannets.
The tourist resource that was suddenly taken away has returned and the townsfolk of Lambert's Bay have learnt a lesson NOT to take nature for granted again.
In future the birds are going to be protected from all threats and to do so a caretaker has been appointed who with the help of a couple of monitors will keep a 24 hour a day vigil over the birds.
This type of protection obviously costs money and between Cape Nature Conservation and the locals ways and means are being explored to finance the salaries of the people employed to protect the gannets.
If anyone can help financially I am sure the people of Lambert's Bay will be most appreciative.
What really interests me is how the gannets decided to leave the island and where they went to in the time they were away.
It is difficult to imagine that the gannets have some intelligent way of communicating with each other and the ability to make a conscious decision based on conditions prevailing to leave the island.
Be that as it may the birds decided to leave and did so en masse.
Even more interesting is the fact that after six or seven months absence a few gannets returned for short periods to check out conditions on the island.
Their report back to the main colony must have been satisfactory as 11000 of the original 14000 gannets returned to the island en masse.
Was this just instinct or are the birds communicating like intelligent beings?
I don't suppose we will ever know!
For a while after their return the birds were skittish when approached by people but as there have been no attacks by seals the birds have started to settle down .
Soon there should be a new generation of chicks on the island.
The colony of gannets at Lambert's Bay is special as very few sea birds actually breed as close to the mainland as this colony do.
While they are back visitors should take the opportunity to visit Lambert's Bay and see the gannets for themselves.
For the next month or two visitors can drive to Lambert's Bay and kill two birds with one stone.
Not only are the gannets back but so are the wild flowers and this presents a double opportunity for visitors.
The rains that have been experienced here in the Cape have brought on a wild flower show fit for a king and the gannets have obliged by returning to Lambert's Bay.
What more do visitors need to get them to visit the area?
Of course the seafood at Lambert's Bay is another attraction, crayfish, crayfish and more crayfish!
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Contact Details
Email Geoff Fairman
6 Bothma Street, Monte Vista 7460 South Africa
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