South Africa: Bees killed 63 penguins of an endangered species
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Sixty-three shotguns of the Cape, an endangered species penguin, were found dead on a beach in South Africa, killed by bees, as it became known today by the South African Institute for the Protection of Coastal Birds (Sanccob).
“The birds were bitten to death by bees,” explained veterinarian Dr. David Roberts.
The shotguns were found dead Friday on a beach in Simmons Town, about 40 miles (40 km) from Cape Town. The stings of bees were visible around their eyes. Besides, many bees were also found dead on this beach.
However, experts performed other tests to rule out the possibility that the penguins died from disease or a toxic substance.
Roberts spoke of a “rare and unusual” phenomenon, but noted that in this area, which is a national park, “bees are also part of the ecosystem”.
South Africa is home to the largest shotgun colony in the world.
African penguins are threatened with extinction and in 2019 only 13,000 pairs were recorded worldwide, mainly in South Africa and neighboring Namibia.
