60% of ALL penguin species are listed as threatened, vulnerable or endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Another year, another continent, the same course!
The Galápagos Penguin, the most northerly-breeding penguin species, is endemic to the Galápagos Islands and one of the rarest bird species in the world, with a population of less than 2000 individuals.
The penguin’s small population, restricted distribution, and vulnerability to ever-increasing human threats, combined with severe population declines due to natural marine perturbations such as the El Niño events, led to its classification as Endangered and to its inclusion in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
I hope you agree it is high time that the Galápagos Penguin be given the appropriate attention in order to safeguard its status….
…and for me, time to keep running!
As many of you know, last year I ran the Bath Half Marathon in the UK for the Galápagos Conservation Trust to support conservation actions in the Galápagos Islands, and to raise awareness for the threats facing the Islands today. In 2007, they were listed as a World Heritage Site in Danger by the UNESCO, which is how they unfortunately remain.
On July 10 I will run the Knysna Half Marathon in South Africa, once again to raise funding for the GCT, an organisation that shares the vision of a holistic conservation approach, simultaneously addressing current challenges and threats whilst seeking a sustainable management plan for the future.
Those of you who know me well also know that I am not a natural runner by any means, and that I will rely heavily on oxygen tents along the course, and Red Cross rescue teams beyond the finishing line!
To give you an idea of my current training state….
I am switching between South African off-shore islands until the race (reads: islands equal small, e.g. my training distance on Dassen Island consists of 1.5 km), cold storm and rain fronts keep howling around the Cape, and penguins are still overtaking me effortlessly on my route.
Please have a heart and help to keep up my motivation!!!
YOUR support would not only make a significant contribution to furthering the conservation of this charismatic penguin species, but would also spur me on and get me round the course, dead or alive! :-)
THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANKS!
Antje
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