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A heavily oiled baby penguin has washed up on Pollock Beach in Port Elizabeth.
Libby Sharwood from the SA Rehabilitation and Education Centre told Algoa FM News that they suspect the penguin may have come from the Knysna area where a cargo ship has run aground.
"Police called us out to Pollock beach to find a very heavily oiled baby penguin really in a bad way and we are appealing to anyone to keep their eyes open for any others and if so to give us a call on 041 583 1830"
Sharwood says rehabilitating a penguin is not a simple task and is also very costly.
"We wash their natural oils off so the bird is no longer water proof so we have to keep him until he is waterproof again and this could take up to a month. It costs us about R1000 per bird and the medication that they needed, this guy was already given charcoal to absorb the oil that he has ingested" she said.
Meanwhile, efforts to refloat the stricken vessel, Kiani Satu, will commence in about an hour's time.
Salvers were again unsuccessful in their attempts to dislodge the 163 metre long vessel from where it ran aground last week after experiencing mechanical problems.
Samsa's captain Nigel Campbell says attempts were made early last night, with the ship moving a further 10 degrees to port but did not come off.
He told Algoa FM News that their biggest concern now is the foul weather predicted for the weekend.
