The flamingos rescued in Kimberly have been sent all over South Africa because “many hands make light work” and “it takes a village”… here is how you can help.
A few days ago we shared the news about how over 1500 were rescued in Kimberly. We then shared that some of them had made their way to Cape Town. Now they are all over South Africa where many people can help them out.
Why were they rescued?
The flamingoes were rescued from the Kamfersdam in Kimberley where a colony of lesser Flamingos breed annually. The dam has started to dry up leaving hundreds of young chicks in need of rescue. Thousands of chicks and unhatched eggs were collected and taken to the Kimberly SPCA where rehabilitation was started.
Thousands of chicks arrived at the SPCA and the task of caring for them started. Because there are so many and the task of caring for them is “around the clock” process, the SPCA reached out to various organisations in South Africa to take a few hundred each to care for.
There are still about 2000 chicks that need rescuing from the dam. They are in the process of planning the second rescue.
Where are they now?
They have been spread all over South Africa including Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Below is a list of all the places the birds are now being cared for.
- World of Birds – Hout Bay, Cape Town, Western Cape (±100 chicks)
- SANCCOB – Table View, Cape Town, Western Cape (±550 chicks)
- Ushaka Marine World – Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal (±250 chicks)
- Lory Park Animal and Owl Sanctuary – Midrand, Johannesburg (±50 chicks, with more on the way)
- Kimberly SPCA – Kimberly, Northern Cape (kept the rest of the chicks)
We will update the list as soon as Kimberly SPCA gets us an updated list.
What can you do?
There are many ways to get involved. You can contact the organisation closest to you to see if they require volunteers or donations of any kind. Most organisations need the same kinds of donations. You can see a short list below:
Food:
- Free-range eggs (if people can bring hard-boiled and peeled, that’s better for us; we only need the yolks)
- Nestum Baby rice cereal stage 1
- Prawns (frozen and de-shelled)
- A-grade sardine (frozen, not tinned)
Supplements:
- Cani-cal
- Cani-vit
- Mobiflex powder
- Entero-plus or protexin
Other:
- Towels
- 10ml & 20ml Syringes
- Measuring jugs
- Milk crates
The Kimberly SPCA are working to raise funds to cover the costs involved in helping the chicks and possibly rescuing more. As a way to entice more people to donate one of their inspectors has promised to down a cup of the flamingos feed for every R10,000.00 raised.
The feed is made up of prawns, shrimp, nestum, hardboiled egg yokes, beefee and other oils & vitamins.
“Good morning to all our supporters, volunteers and those following the Flamingo Rescue. Our Inspector, Mario van der Westhuizen, has promised to drink a whole cup of the flamingo food liquid for every R10 000 that is collected for the Flamingo Rescue Project from today on. We are calling it, The Smoothy Challenge. The food mixture includes raw prawns, raw shrimp, Nestum, hardboiled egg yokes, Beefee and other oils & vitamins So let’s get those moneys coming in! Mario looks really really hungry. Every cent counts.
Banking Details:
Kimberley SPCA
Standard Bank
Account Nr: 040 057 607
Branch Code: 050 002
Ref: Smoothy Challenge”
You can watch a video of the first big feeding day at Kimberly SPCA below.
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If the thought of handling smelly fish isn’t appealing, you can also help by answering the telephone at the rescue centres for a few hours. The switchboards are overloaded with queries from benefactors and volunteers. Every little bit helps.