Page 108 - Atlas Sea Birds Ver1

Albatross Island (Rock) In 1956, 4,512 African Penguin eggs were collected at
Coordinates: 27.120 S; 15.238 E Possession and Pomona islands (Makhado et al. 2024).
Description: This is an elongated, steep, rocky island that Conservation status: It falls within NIMPA and has re-
supports a large herd of Cape Fur Seals (Rand 1963) and stricted access (Currie et al. 2009).
has also been used for breeding by five seabird species. Species and numbers breeding: Species known to have
Conservation status: It falls within NIMPA and has re- bred at the island and estimates of numbers breeding are
shown on the following table. The African Penguin popula-
stricted access (Currie et al. 2009) tion numbered > 6,000 pairs in 1956 but has fallen to just
Species and numbers breeding: Five seabird species one or a few pairs. In the present century, Cape, Bank and
are known to have bred at the island. Estimates of num- Crowned Cormorants and Kelp Gulls still bred in small
bers breeding are shown on the following table. African numbers.
Penguins bred at the island in 1885 but no longer do so
(Crawford et al. 1995).
Estimated numbers (pairs) of different seabirds breeding at Albatross Island, 1885–2008

Year African Penguin Cape Bank Cormorant Crowned Cormorant Kelp Gull
Cormorant
1885 √
1975 10
1978 9 61
1985 0 10 6
1991 0 16 16 6
1995 0 20 11 1
2000 6 15
2004 2 1
2006 7
2007 36
2008 1 25
Pomona Island Plumpudding Island
Coordinates: 27.195 S; 15.259 E Coordinates: 27.642 S; 15.514 E
Description: A crescent shaped island that rises to Description: Situated at the north of Baker Bay and de-
c. 12.5 m above sea level, has an area of 3.25 ha and void of vegetation, it has an area of c. 0.8 ha and rises to
lies near the shore in Jammer Bay (Rand 1963). It has about 15 m above sea level. There are a few old build-
derelict accommodation on its northeast side that is partly ings and a jetty in the southeast. African Penguins nested
surrounded by a wall. There are also some sea walls. It over much of the island (but not the centre) on hard rock or
lies c. 210 m from the mainland, with which it may be beach pebbles (Rand 1963). White-breasted Cormorants
occasionally connected. habitually nested on a low ridge jutting off the southeast of
Seabird guano was collected at the island in 70 years the island (Rand 1963) but no longer breed at the island.
between 1896 and 1973, the total quantity removed from Crowned Cormorants nested on the jetty (Shaughnessy
the island in this period being 6,903 metric tons (Tom et and Shaughnessy 1978).
al. 2024).
Estimated numbers (pairs) of different seabirds breeding at Pomona Island, 1885–2019

Cape
Year African Penguin Bank Cormorant Crowned Cormorant Kelp Gull
Cormorant
1885 √
1956 6048 5 53
1967 3973 73
1969 5609 51
1978 123 15 51 12 35
1979 42
1980 20 108 21 9
1985 13 108 12 34 77
1986 15 150 9 14 24
1987 8 90 19 10 29
1988 13 322 21 101

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