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State of the Bay Report 2010-Final - Anchor Environmental

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<strong>the</strong>ir main prey species, sardines and anchovies, since<br />

2005 however, population numbers decreased in <strong>the</strong><br />

North and central portions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Western Cape and<br />

increased fur<strong>the</strong>r South, coinciding with <strong>the</strong> eastward<br />

shift <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir prey species (Crawford 2009). In sou<strong>the</strong>rn<br />

Africa, swift terns show low fidelity to breeding<br />

localities, unlike <strong>the</strong> African Penguin, Cape Gannet and<br />

Cape Cormorant, which enables <strong>the</strong>m to rapidly adjust<br />

to changes in prey availability (Crawford 2009).<br />

<strong>Anchor</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong><br />

In Saldanha <strong>Bay</strong>, Jutten Island is <strong>the</strong> most<br />

important island for breeding Swift Terns, but breeding numbers are erratic at all <strong>the</strong> islands. No long<br />

term trends are discernible, but <strong>the</strong>re is some concern in that <strong>the</strong>re has been no breeding for three<br />

years on any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> island (Figure 11.4).<br />

Number <strong>of</strong> breeding pairs<br />

4000<br />

3500<br />

3000<br />

2500<br />

2000<br />

1500<br />

1000<br />

500<br />

0<br />

1987<br />

1988<br />

1989<br />

1990<br />

1991<br />

1992<br />

1993<br />

1994<br />

1995<br />

1996<br />

1997<br />

<strong>State</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Bay</strong> <strong>2010</strong>: Saldanha <strong>Bay</strong> and Langebaan Lagoon 239<br />

1998<br />

Year<br />

1999<br />

2000<br />

Total<br />

Malgas<br />

Marcus<br />

Jutten<br />

Schaapen<br />

Figure 11.4. Trends in breeding population <strong>of</strong> Swift Terns at Malgas, Marcus, Jutten and Schaapen islands<br />

in Saldanha <strong>Bay</strong> (Data source: Rob Crawford, Oceans & Coasts, Department <strong>of</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong><br />

Affairs).<br />

2001<br />

2002<br />

2003<br />

Cape Gannets Morus capensis are<br />

restricted to <strong>the</strong> coast <strong>of</strong> Africa, from <strong>the</strong> Western<br />

Sahara, around Cape Agulhas to <strong>the</strong> Kenyan coast.<br />

They breed on six <strong>of</strong>fshore islands, three <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong><br />

Namibian coast, and two <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> west coast <strong>of</strong><br />

South Africa (Bird Island in Lambert's <strong>Bay</strong>, and<br />

Malgas Island in Saldanha <strong>Bay</strong>), and one (Bird<br />

Island) at Port Elizabeth. The Cape Gannet is listed<br />

as Vulnerable IUCN’s ‘red data list’ due to its<br />

restricted range and population declines (Birdlife<br />

International 2011).<br />

2004<br />

Cape Gannets feed out at sea and will <strong>of</strong>ten<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

<strong>2010</strong>

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