Bees kill 63 endangered penguins in South Africa
Bees have killed 63 endangered penguins in South Africa. The unusual incident highlights the fragile balance in threatened ecosystems.
The autopsy revealed that the African penguins had multiple stings around their eyes
A swarm of bees killed 63 critically endangered African penguins on a beach outside Cape Town, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds announced.
The protected birds were found dead in Simon’s Town, a small town near Cape Town where a penguin colony lives, and were brought in for autopsy.
«The examinations showed that the penguins had bee stings around their eyes«, said David Roberts, a clinical veterinarian at the foundation. «This is a very rare occurrence. We do not expect it to happen often. There were also dead bees at the scene«.
The area is a national park and the Cape honeybees are part of the ecosystem.
«The penguins … should not just be dying like this, because they are already endangered. They are a protected species«, said Roberts.
South African National Parks stated that samples had also been sent for disease and toxicology testing.
«No external injuries were found on any of the birds«, the park said in a statement.
The autopsy revealed that all the penguins had multiple bee stings.
African penguins, which live along the coast and on the islands of southern Africa, are listed on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, meaning they are endangered.
