LAMBERTSBAY BIRD ILAND
Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:17 am
To all Pilots
As you may have read or heard in the press, we in Lamberts Bay are experiencing a crisis with our Gannet colony. The Cape Gannet is an endangered species and last year due to seal predation on Gannets they deserted their colony on Bird Island, the main tourist attraction in Lamberts Bay. The last eight months the Bird Island Action Committee and Cape Nature Conservation have been putting in place measures to try and ensure a successful breeding season.
The Gannets have returned to their colony, but are very unsettled due to their bad experience last year. The most important thing is to keep all disturbances to a minimum. The main causes of disturbance are seals, sea gulls (who eat their eggs) and man. If one of these disturbances gets too great all the Gannets fly off leaving their nests unprotected, the sea gulls then eat the Gannets eggs and this causes them to desert the colony.
One of the disturbances we are experiencing is micro lights and small aircraft flying near the island. We appeal to all Pilots to please give Lamberts Bay and the bird island a one-kilometre berth, thus giving the Gannets a better chance of raising young this year. We look forward to your co-operation, in trying to ensure a future for the Cape Gannet.
Yours Sincerely
Lachlan Matthews (representative of the Bird Island Action committee) 0833641440
As you may have read or heard in the press, we in Lamberts Bay are experiencing a crisis with our Gannet colony. The Cape Gannet is an endangered species and last year due to seal predation on Gannets they deserted their colony on Bird Island, the main tourist attraction in Lamberts Bay. The last eight months the Bird Island Action Committee and Cape Nature Conservation have been putting in place measures to try and ensure a successful breeding season.
The Gannets have returned to their colony, but are very unsettled due to their bad experience last year. The most important thing is to keep all disturbances to a minimum. The main causes of disturbance are seals, sea gulls (who eat their eggs) and man. If one of these disturbances gets too great all the Gannets fly off leaving their nests unprotected, the sea gulls then eat the Gannets eggs and this causes them to desert the colony.
One of the disturbances we are experiencing is micro lights and small aircraft flying near the island. We appeal to all Pilots to please give Lamberts Bay and the bird island a one-kilometre berth, thus giving the Gannets a better chance of raising young this year. We look forward to your co-operation, in trying to ensure a future for the Cape Gannet.
Yours Sincerely
Lachlan Matthews (representative of the Bird Island Action committee) 0833641440
