“Super Sandman” Innocent Zungu was commissioned to create a beautiful African Penguin sand sculpture in honour of World Seabird Day
Blouberg, South Africa (02 July 2024) – In celebration of World Seabird Day (on the 3rd of July) and local cuties, the African Penguin, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) and BirdLife South Africa commissioned this sand art installation, by the Super Sandman, at Big Bay beach near Blouberg, South Africa, to mark World SeaBird Day on July 3rd.
The thing about the African Penguin is that it is predicted to go extinct in the wild by 2035. This is due to a drop in available food. There are many organisations working tirelessly to help the species. It is scary to see that numbers have declined by 99% in the past 120 years.
Innocent has worked for several days to get the piece ready and here is where art parallels life. The message for the sculpture is “here today, gone tomorrow” and aptly so, the sculpture may not even be there tomorrow when World Seabird Day is celebrated.
“The art serves as a stark reminder that while these beautiful creatures may be with us today, they could be gone tomorrow. In fact, in the days it took “Super Sandman” Innocent Zungu to create the installation, the penguins were vandalised three times by unruly revellers on the beach.” – Amy Maciver
Undeterred, Innocent the Super Sandman has repaired the sculptures each time.
“The penguins are made out of sand to symbolise that they are disappearing. They’re here today, gone tomorrow unless we do something about it. These sand sculptures will slowly be eroded by the sea showing how fragile the Penguin population is.” – Dr David Roberts, SANCCOB
There is a website for those wanting to learn more about the plight of our beloved tuxedoed birds. You can find more information here. And if you would like to back them financially, the team set up a GivenGain for funds. Funds raised are being used in every effort to protect the African Penguin.
And if you get the chance, head over to the beach to snap a picture of the penguins before they are gone.