It was a typically windy day when we touched down at Cape Town International Airport on a Friday morning for our Mommy and Me recce. The excitement on Sabria’s face was a joy. Finally she was going to experience this fascinating part of the world.
Our excitement grew when we picked up our ride – a bright-blue, brand-new Suzuki S-Presso. This was the ideal baby SUV in which to zip around the Mother City and surrounds. In a jiffy all our luggage was stashed in the deceptively spacious boot (it takes up to 270 litre), and we could take in all the other bells and whistles – including a rear-view camera for those tricky parking spots – now that is a bonus!
Our first conservation visit was to the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) in Table View. Stepping out of our blue buggy, we were almost swept away by the strong winds which this part of the city is known for. I had not noticed it in the vehicle, which seems to really cling to the road.
We are met by SANCCOB communications officer Ronnis Daniels, who has given us special permission to witness some behind-the-scenes work, and to shoot some video clips for Sabria’s Cheetah Cubs Facebook page. Although penguins are their core conservation brief, other seabirds have found their way here as well. Some will never leave. In the front enclosure where all the, these little guys had been picked up by the crew of large ships in the Arctic, only to be discarded in a different ocean when their cuteness waned – never to find their way back home. Luckily most of the other seabirds at SANCCOB are not here for the long haul. Their destiny is to be returned to the wild, and all the staff and volunteers work around the clock to make this happen.
