Categories: Science

Bees kill dozens of endangered penguins on South Africa beach

<p>
A swarm of bees has killed 63 endangered African penguins on a beach outside Cape Town, according to an AFP report .</p>
<p>
The protected birds were found dead in a small town near Cape Town home to a colony of penguins, and post-mortems revealed that all the penguins had multiple bee stings. </p>
<p>
“After tests, we found bee stings around the penguins’ eyes,” the report cited David Roberts a veterinarian of Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) as saying.</p>
<p>
“There were also dead bees on the scene,” he told AFP by telephone.</p>
<p>
“This is a very rare occurrence,” he added.</p>
<p>
The area is a national park and the Cape honeybees are part of the ecosystem.</p>
<p>
South African National Parks said samples had also been sent for disease and toxicology testing.</p>
<p>
“There were no external physical injuries found on any of the birds,” a parks statement said.</p>
<p>
Penguins cannot fly but they fulfil all the biological requirements to be classified as birds – they have feathers, they lay eggs and they're warm-blooded. There are also other flightless birds  like emus, ostriches and cassowaries.</p>
<p>
SANCCOB said they would keep a "watchful eye" on the birds.</p>
<p>
"Our rangers and SANParks will monitor the nests in the area as some of these birds would have had eggs and chicks," the organisation said in a statement on its social media.</p>
<p>
"One partner often can't supply sufficient food or leave the chicks alone."</p>
<p>
The organisation said numbers of the penguins were dwindling and the species could be extinct by 2035.</p>
<p>
African penguins, which inhabit the coast and islands of southern Africa, are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list.</p>
<p>
<strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/science-news/over-dolphins-slaughtered-in-denmark-in-a-gory-hunt-114843.html">Over 1,400 dolphins slaughtered in Denmark in a gory hunt</a></strong></p>

IN Bureau

Recent Posts

“Political witch hunt”: Trump on continuation of trial against Israeli PM Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (US local time) called the continuation of the trial…

14 hours ago

Serbia: Protests erupt in Belgrade over calls for snap elections

Protestors in Serbia took to the streets of Belgrade and demanded an early election, as…

14 hours ago

“Deserves contempt”: MEA rejects Pakistan Army’s claim over attack in Waziristan

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday strongly rejected the Pakistani Army's claims, where…

14 hours ago

Indian Army, Russian Land Forces bolster defence ties at IRIGC meet in St. Petersburg

Indian Army strengthens ties with Russian Land Forces at the 4th Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission (IRIGC)…

14 hours ago

Indian contingent demonstrates tactical proficiency, joint synergy in France in SHAKTI-VIII exercise

The Indo-French Joint Military Exercise SHAKTI-VIII continues to strengthen operational interoperability and mutual cooperation between…

1 day ago

PM Modi attends centenary celebrations of Acharya Shri 108 Vidyanand Ji Maharaj

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the centenary celebrations of the revered Jain spiritual leader Acharya…

1 day ago