Already, 10 to 15 tons of oil has reportedly leaked from this stranded vessel threatening the surrounding sensitive marine environment, seabirds, penguins and other marine life.
Despite extensive efforts by SANParks, South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), reports of oil contamination along the nearby coastline as well as seabirds covered in oil have been received as far as Wilderness, Herolds Bay and Little Brak River, more than 50km from the stricken Kiani Satu.
A Herolds Bay resident, Herman Lochner, rescued an oil covered penguin late Monday in Herolds Bay. Lochner immediately delivered the distressed bird to a Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre (Saprec) volunteer who resides in George. The volunteer spent the night stabilising the bird before taking it to Saprec in Mossel Bay on Tuesday morning.
Carol Walton, founder of Saprec, who has been working with penguins and seabirds for over 20 years, explained that she had given the penguin its first bath to remove most of the oil from its head as it was breathing in fumes from the oil. She added that the penguin had contracted pneumonia and that she was administrating antibiotics as well as steroids to fight the infection.
Walton implores the public to be on the lookout for any oil covered seabirds or penguins. "If you are going to take a walk on the beach, please could you take an old towel with which you could wrap any affected bird you may find before placing it in a box," asked Walton, who added that she and her volunteers will collect any bird rescued.
She added that it is of utmost importance that the public do not attempt to wash or clean the oil covered bird as the bird may ingest the detergent and/or oil, causing it to haemorrhage. This would ultimately be a death sentence for the bird.
In the meantime, several attempts to float the stricken Kiani Satu have failed and environmentalists fear that if she is not moved off the sandbank soon, the approaching cold front and rough seas may start to break-up her hull, releasing her oil into the sensitive marine reserve. The result of yesterday's attempt to re-float the Kiani Satu was not known at time of going to print.
While all penguin rehabilitation centres are doing their best in treating the oil covered seabirds, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) has been appointed by the ship owner to support conservation authorities in the collection of oiled seabirds and to undertake the stabilisation and rehabilitation of oiled seabirds as a result of this incident. "We have set up stabilisation at Tenikwa and depending on species and numbers of birds admitted we will either transfer birds to SANCCOB's Cape St Francis or Cape Town rehab centres for full rehabilitation," said Vanessa Strauss, SANCCOB spokesperson.
To report any oiled or injured seabirds, please contact Wilna Wilkinson (Eastern Cape rehabilitation manager, SANCCOB) on 082 326 4143 or Carol Walton from SAPREC on 082 364 3382.
At the time of going to print, 13 oil covered penguins and one gannet had been handed to SANCCOB and two oil covered penguins to SAPREC. Samsa had not responded with comment pertaining to the obvious effects the leaking oil is causing.
* Die Duitse vragskip, Kiani Satu met 330 ton brandstofolie en 15 000 ton rys wat Donderdag 8 Augustus tussen Buffelsbaai en Sedgefield in die Goukamma Mariene Bewaringsgebied teen 'n sandbank te gronde geloop het, raak nou 'n bedreiging vir die mariene lewe en omgewing nadat 10 tot 15 ton olie na bewering reeds uitgelek het. Pogings om die 165 m-vragskip vlot te maak, het Dinsdag vir 'n tweede keer misluk. 15 pikkewyne en 1 malgas, is reeds deur olie besmet. Twee van hierdie pikkewyn is by Heroldsbaai en Klein-Brakrivier gevind.
ncerned that this stranded container vessel, Kiani Satu, will have an even more disasterous effect on the environment if the South African Marine Safety Authority (Samsa) does not manage to float her soon. Photo: Christopher van Zyl
ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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