My first visit to the penguins at wild

Somerset West, South Africa, 19. Feb. 2005:

On a sunny day my family and went to visit the penguins at Stony Point near Bettys Bay. On the way to the penguins we saw monkeys, which are called "Baboons" here in South Africa. They were sitting on the street and looked around. You must be careful with the baboons, because everywhere at the streets are boards, saying: "Careful, Baboons are dangerous, don't feed them!" They always want food from you! They are burglars!

It was a hot day and we knew, that the penguins went to the water. So we drove to the beach where the penguins live, to Stony Point. It really is stony!

Before we saw the penguins we looked over the water, because it was summer time and there also live whales, but on this day we didn't see whales. There were lots of little mountains where the penguins stand, and also there were 40 cm long, big brown klipspringers. They are relatives of the elephants, although they don't look so. I climbed on top of a rock and stood 50 cm in front of a penguin! But you are not allowed to touch them! So I went down again and fetched our camera to make photos. The penguin stood still and I got lots of photos! I also got photos of the klipspringers.

Before I went to South Africa I lived in Germany. There I also saw many penguins. One day I won a price in the local "100,1" radio, a visit to a penguin baby called "Nena" in the "Aachener Tierpark" zoo. I was allowed to touch her! I also gave her food and played with her! She was so lovely and her feathers were really soft. She was born in the "Tierpark" and because her brother was bigger and stronger she had to be breeded by hand. She lived in the bureau of the director of the zoo.

The penguins here in South Africa are "Jack Ass" penguins. Nena also is a "Jack Ass" penguin and I hope she feels as well in the "Aachener Tierpark" as I feel in her native country.

Bisbi (12)

All photos on this page are Copyright 4/2005 by Clemens Schöbel, Bisbi Schöbel.