Two Oceans Aquarium Assistant Communications and Sustainability Manager Renée Leeuwner is a keen blogger, a member of the Aquarium’s Green Team and the voice behind our Twitter profile. Renée has joined Two Oceans Aquarium Senior Bird Trainer Hayley McLellan and uShaka Sea World’s Gabby Harris as they Waddle for the African penguin; she’ll be live-blogging and tweeting about the Waddle on the road!
It’s official – The Penguin Promises Waddle for a Week campaign has begun!
It is the first day of the Penguin Promises Waddle for a Week campaign and at 04h00 I woke up to the sound of rain bucketing down with all its might. Signs of the day ahead, perhaps? I was hoping not. By 08h00 the rain had cleared just a bit and all the Waddlers were dressed in their Cape Storm gear, Hi Tec shoes and loaded up with Powerade.
By 09h00, just as they started walking, the rain reappeared and sent them on their way toward Stanford. In Gansbaai they met up with their mascot, Promise, and together they are aiming to encourage people to make a promise and change their lifestyles in such a way as to benefit African penguins.
At the start of their trek, the Waddlers were joined by the good folk of Gansbaai Tourism, Brenda from Dyer Island Conservation Trust, a crew from 50/50 and Hardus from Gansbaai Media. The first leg of the walk took five-and-a-bit hours to complete, finishing in the wonderful little town of Standford, 20km from Gansbaai.
The evening will be spent examining the first of the blisters (cause there are!) and the Waddlers will regroup, dry out and ready themselves for tomorrow’s walk to Hermanus.
The Penguin Promises Waddle team would like to thank Wilfred, Brenda and everyone else at the Great White House and Dyer Island Conservation Trust for their amazing support and putting the team up for the night. It really is appreciated!
Seven Waddlers from various organisations (Two Oceans Aquarium, uShaka Sea World, SANCCOB, National Zoological Gardens Pretoria and Gold Reef City) are walking from Gansbaai to Simon’s Town to raise awareness about the plight of the African penguin. Pledge your support by sending an SMS with the keyword PENGUIN, followed by your promise, to 34008. Follow them on Twitter @penguinpromises, join on Facebook and visit www.penguinpromises.com.
Penguin promises: Waddle for a Week
- Penguin Promises: Waddle for a Week Day 2 (24 May 2011)
- Penguin Promises: Waddle for a Week Day 3 (25 May 2011)
- Penguin Promises: Waddle for a Week Day 4 (26 May 2011)
- Penguin Promises: Waddle for a Week Day 5 (27 May 2011)
- Penguin Promises: Waddle for a Week Day 6 (28 May 2011)
More blogs about the African penguin
- Waddle you do for the African Penguin?
- African penguin numbers at an all-time low
- Ambassador Ayoba arrives at Aquarium
- African Penguin Awareness Day
- A special day for African penguins
- Photo essay: Zuki, our resident African penguin
- Photo essay: Zuki’s got mad soccer skills
- Q&A with Senior Bird Trainer Hayley McLellan
More blogs by Renée
- Waddle you do for the African Penguin?
- Stranded turtles: What to do
- Pleased to meet you: Shoreline Café Chef de partie Evelyn Tholi
- Pleased to meet you: Membership Co-ordinator Amina Hoosain
- Meet the teacher: Xavier Zylstra
- Farewell Ivan
- A special day for African penguins
- From Brunei to Bellville, banish rubbish from beaches
- It’s a fish eat fish world
- Joseph the cheetah visits the Aquarium
- Aquarium staff rub shoulders with Leon Schuster!
- Two Oceans Aquarium: A photo essay
