A growing trend in voluntourism is helping SANCCOB, the seabird rehabilitation centre in Cape Town, reverse the trend of a drastically diminishing population of African penguins.

Venessa Strauss, ceo of SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) says the centre depends heavily on about 100 volunteers a year from all over the world who spend six to eight weeks there doing everything from cleaning, feeding, hydrating and caring for injured penguins and other seabirds. Volunteer Abby Burns from Connecticut, USA and Maria Stoll from Norway, say they were looking for something meaningful to do in their gap year and found their way to SANCCOB through Cape Town-based volunteering company, AVIVA. With a penguin chick expertly clamped between her knees and skilfully avoiding its sharp beak while guiding a pilchard down its gullet, Burns says she has never done anything like this before. "I'm an arts graduate, so this has been a completely new experience for me. I wanted to do something really different but worthwhile in my gap year." AVIVA co-director Ed Scott says the company placed 370 volunteers last year and projects an increase in voluntourism on the back of South Africa's higher profile after the Soccer World Cup. He says AVIVA places volunteers from 57 different countries, the majority from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany and a smaller number from the Far East and South America. About 60% of volunteers are aged 18 to 25 with the oldest placement having been 72 years old. He says volunteers hail from all walks of life, ranging from students to professionals to retirees. Scott says voluntourism results in a high rate of repeat tourism, with candidates either returning as volunteers or tourists and bringing their partners or families along the next time. "We've a guy from New York who has been back eight times," he says. The plight of the African penguin was highlighted by Cape Town Tourism and the City of Cape Town on World Tourism Day, earmarked by the UN's World Tourism Organisation to raise awareness of tourism's responsibility towards preserving biodiversity. Strauss says human activities have reduced the African penguin population by a staggering 90% from 1,5m in the 1930s to 56 000 at present, resulting in their reclassification as an endangered species earlier this year. Through SANCCOB's intervention there has been a 19% population growth again since 2000. Pictured here: Highlighting tourism's responsibility towards preserving biodiversity on World Tourism Day were (from left) Cape Town Tourism ceo, Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold; SANCCOB ceo, Venessa Strauss; and City of Cape Town tourism director, Nombulelo Mkefa.