ABOUT 150 animal lovers gathered at the Cape Recife Nature Reserve yesterday to watch the release of 16 rehabilitated penguins back into the wild.
The African penguins, which had spent three weeks at the SA Marine Rehabilitation Centre (Samrec) outside Port Elizabeth, stood huddled in a group on the rocks after seeing the waves for the first time in a month.
It took about 10 minutes for them to waddle across the rocks and dive into the ocean.
The 16 penguins are suspected to have washed ashore in Algoa Bay after leaving Bird Island, a marine protected area in the Bay. The island is home to the largest breeding colony of the African penguin, an endangered species.
Samrec manager and educator Eddie Molekoa said the penguins had been treated for dehydration and being underweight.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality confirmed the presence of red tide along the Bay's shore but said it was not harmful to humans.
Municipal spokesman Roland Williams said this red tide came from the Nordic region and was brought here by a ship that emptied its bilges in our waters. - Gareth Wilson