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Animal Caretaker Kelly to SANCCOB
Thanks to the support of visitors and adoptive parents, Beekse Bergen has been donating to SANCCOB via Stichting Wildlife since 2017. In this way, we contribute to the conservation and protection of African penguins in the wild.
Kelly has been working at Beekse Bergen since 2022 as a keeper for all bird species in the Safaripark, including the African penguins. You may well have spotted her at the birds of prey safari! In December 2025, Kelly was given the opportunity to spend two weeks working at SANCCOB. On this page, you can read more about her time in South Africa and the experience she gained there in caring for wild African penguins.
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Why did you choose to work at SANCCOB?
Unfortunately, the African penguin is not doing well. Its IUCN status changed from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Critically Endangered’ at the end of 2024. That is why it is particularly important that we build up a healthy reserve population in zoos. I wanted to learn more about the care of African penguins so that we could apply this knowledge at the Safaripark too. It is a vulnerable species. They require very specific care and are highly sensitive to stress. That is why it was so rewarding to see at SANCCOB how wild penguins are cared for. It was also very special that, during my work visit, I was able to present them with a generous donation of €12,000 for 2026!
What tasks did you carry out at SANCCOB?
On my first day, I met the team and started with the tasks that volunteers always begin with: working in the kitchen and doing cleaning duties. Here, I learnt everything about medication, preparing food and cleaning the equipment needed to care for the penguins. It’s very important that volunteers learn this first. This is because we use syringes a lot for penguins that need medication or extra food to regain their strength. It is very important that this is done safely and hygienically.
On the second day, I was already allowed to help look after the penguins themselves. It often takes a bit longer for volunteers to move on from the kitchen, laundry or cleaning area, but as I already had experience looking after penguins, I was allowed to start straight away. A major task is keeping the pool clean. They do not use salt or chlorine for the penguins’ health. That is why the mats and the pool have to be thoroughly disinfected every morning. After that, the penguins were given their first feed of the day and their medication. We then prepared the enclosure for the day.
Twice a week, all the penguins were weighed so that the staff could keep track of their weight. In addition, a fat check took place twice a week. During this, a vet checked the penguins’ feet and airways. Blood was also taken once a week so that blood values could be monitored. I also learnt here how to easily take blood from penguins.
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What made the biggest impression on you at SANCCOB?
What made the biggest impression on me was the release of penguins at Boulders Beach. We released 20 young and 4 adult penguins here. It was really lovely to see, especially as the 4 adult penguins were also from this colony. The 20 young ones were released first, followed by the adults. The adults immediately walked towards their colony and the young ones quickly followed.
We were allowed to stay and watch for 20 minutes and saw the penguins immediately playing together and exploring their new home. They were accepted by the group and you could really see the character of each penguin. That was so lovely to see! Especially the way they reacted to each other and to the group. It was wonderful to witness the whole process. From their care at SANCCOB and the medical treatment to their release into the wild.
What are the threats to African penguins?
‘The African penguin is in such a dire state right now that it could become extinct within 10 years.’
Many people know that oil spills have caused major problems in the past. Fortunately, this hasn’t happened for a long time. However, there are many other threats to African penguins. Overfishing means there is not enough food available. SANCCOB is working hard to address this. They are trying to combat overfishing by engaging in dialogue with government agencies. The consequences of overfishing are, in fact, very serious. Penguins that are about to moult need to eat enough food beforehand. This gives them a reserve for when they are moulting and cannot fish. Unfortunately, some penguins have not eaten enough, meaning they still have to fish whilst moulting to avoid starving. These penguins temporarily lack a waterproof plumage and sometimes drown whilst searching for more food.
Een ander groot probleem is de opwarming van de aarde. Het is te heet voor pinguïns om eieren uit te broeden. Hierdoor worden nesten in het broedseizoen te vroeg verlaten. De pinguïns hebben het simpelweg te warm en moeten de zee in om af te koelen.
Naast deze bedreigingen zijn er nog andere. Er zijn natuurlijk roofdieren zoals robben en haaien en ziektes zoals de vogelgriep. Ook is er weinig broedgelegenheid. De mens maakt namelijk privéstranden voor toeristen en haalt hier de boulders (keien) weg. Hierdoor hebben de pinguïns geen geschikte plek om een nest te maken.
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Follow our trip to Kenya
We did it, the corridor has been built! Yvonne Vogels, head zookeeper of the elephants, and Klaas-Jan Leinenga, head of education and conservation and board member of Stichting Wildlife, travel to Kenya together. There, they visit the corridor and see whether it offers a solution to the human-animal conflict in the area. In addition, Benjamin from Save The Elephants will take Yvonne and Klaas-Jan to different nature reserves, villages and previously constructed corridors. Follow the live report of this special trip via the link below.
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August 23, 2025 - Departure for Nairobi
We got up early to arrive at the station in Tilburg on time. Unfortunately, we missed our connection to Rotterdam Central Station because the train driver seemed to still be in vacation mode and drove the train at a snail's pace all the way to Breda.
In the end, we arrived at Schiphol well in time, partly because the plane was an hour late and the gate was changed three times. Good for our steps, we'll say! After an 8.5-hour flight with interesting entertainment, including nature documentaries and culinary delights, we landed in Nairobi at 10:30 p.m.
We were picked up at the airport and taken to a kind of campsite just outside Nairobi. In front of the tent, we enjoyed a final drink with lions roaring in the background. It turned out that we were right next to Nairobi National Park, the only park so close to a city. Otherwise, it was very dark and we fell asleep like logs in our tent. On to tomorrow!
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August 23, 2025 - Departure for Nairobi
We got up early to arrive at the station in Tilburg on time. Unfortunately, we missed our connection to Rotterdam Central Station because the train driver seemed to still be in vacation mode and drove the train at a snail's pace all the way to Breda.
In the end, we arrived at Schiphol well in time, partly because the plane was an hour late and the gate was changed three times. Good for our steps, we'll say! After an 8.5-hour flight with interesting entertainment, including nature documentaries and culinary delights, we landed in Nairobi at 10:30 p.m.
We were picked up at the airport and taken to a kind of campsite just outside Nairobi. In front of the tent, we enjoyed a final drink with lions roaring in the background. It turned out that we were right next to Nairobi National Park, the only park so close to a city. Otherwise, it was very dark and we fell asleep like logs in our tent. On to tomorrow!
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