“Hello from the little swampy volcano in the Southern Indian Ocean we call home, or Marion Island. The year has kicked off and the overwinterers have settled into their routines, just in time for it all to change. The Spring Edition of The Wanderer marks the beginning of a massive influx of wildlife onto the island, eager to breed and moult on this isle of paradise. Follow on as the chaos descends for field researchers alike and the hustle continues at the Base at Cabbage Point” ‐ Zafar Monier.
Meet the team
Marion’s Magnificent Birds
“Marion Island is home to 40% of the world’s Wandering Albatross population” Zafar Monier.
Sealer Stories
Balloon Launching
“M80 has the opportunity to conduct upper air ascends on our expedition twice a day, everyday of the year. Weather balloons are released simultaneously from different locations worldwide! On Marion Island we release the balloon at 12H00Z and 00H00Z (15H00 and 03H00 Marion local time)” – the 2023/2024 South African Weather Service Meteorological team members on Marion Island.
Alien Invasive Species
Click on the link below to download the first M80 newsletter.
The 80th Marion Island overwintering team. This photo was taken before the last helicopter flight to the S.A. Agulhas II, at the end of the 2023 takeover. The ship departed from Marion Island to Cape Town late afternoon of 12 May 2023. Image: Michelle Risi.
Anche Louw, Co-Principal Investigator of Antarctic Legacy of South Africa and Digital Marketing and Communications Manager of the South African Polar Research Infrastructure, 05 October 2023.
Featuring research teams currently on the Gough Island takeover expedition.
The Tristan da Cunha Conservation Department recruited two Tristan Islanders to assist in the field at Tristan for the duration of the takeover. Image of the two members of a previous team.
During the annual Gough Island takeover (relief) expedition, the S.A. Agulhas II delivers passengers and cargo to Tristan da Cunha Island, which is 350 kilometers from Gough Island. Additionally, several researchers are given the chance to carry out their research at Tristan da Cunha during the relief period for Gough Island.
Prof Marthán Bester, semi-retired, Emeritus Professor and senior Research Fellow of the Mammal Research Institute at the University of Pretoria, is currently on the Tristan da Cunha to conduct field research on Subantarctic fur seals.
Find our more below about this project and prospects for the takeover period.
TEAM
Tristan Mammal Research
Project Name
Subantarctic Fur Seals at the Tristan da Cunha Islands, South Atlantic Ocean
Principal Investigator
Prof Marthán Bester
University of Pretoria
Co-Principal Investigator
Prof Nico de Bruyn
University of Pretoria
Co-Principal Investigator
Dr Mia Wege
University of Pretoria
Co-Principal Investigator
Mr. Trevor Glass
Tristan Conservation Department Head
The history of fur seal research on Tristan da Cunha
Fur seal research at the Tristan da Cunha (TdC) Islands started during the 1970s (1974–1978). In its present form, the research continues through a next phase (2009–2019), and beyond.
Short description of the project
Using Subantarctic fur seals as bioindicators of environmental conditions and as tools for suitable management of natural resources, contributing to observing marine ecosystems in the TdC Islands, since 2019 and beyond, the aim is to: (a) determine the seasonal attendance patterns of primarily lactating adult females, from the smallest (incipient) population of the species in the world at Cave Point Peninsula, TdC, (b) measure and contrast the growth rate and/or weaning mass of pups at the Cave Point breeding colony (10 month nursing period), (c) collect scat (non-invasive) and whiskers (invasive) samples for diet analyses.
During this ‘takeover’ the team aims to service and/or retrieve the Attendance Pattern Automated System (satellite-linked) at Cave Point, collect and process fur seal scat samples to determine diet, and weigh pup/under-yearling fur seals (at around 290 days of age) to compare their weaning weights amongst years and with those of pups from other island populations (including Gough Island).
In everyday language
The fur seals breed and rest on the islands, and they feed at sea. The research team aims to determine (1) what the seals feed on when they are away during feeding trips, (2) how well the pups, which remain on land, grow on a diet of milk which they suck from their mothers when these return to land after each feeding trip, and (3) how far away from the island, and for how long, do the mothers of the fur seal pups have to remain at sea on each feeding trip to be able to sustain their pups until weaning.
For more information visit about Subantarctic fur seals, click on the link below.
This project is funded by: The National Research Foundation (NRF-SANAP), The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Tristan da Cunha Conservation Department (TdC Conservation Department).
Update posted by the Tristan Conservation Department (on Facebook, 09 October 2023):
“The weather has been very nice last week. The conservation team and professor Martian Bester managed to go to the caves to do seal work with the seal pups. It was a great success as they managed to weigh fifty pups. Martian has been working with the conservation department for fourty nine years but sadly this is his last year working with the conservation team as he is retiring”
The South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) with the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa (ALSA) and the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) Egagasini Node visited Generation Schools Imhoff, in Kommetjie on 20 July 2023.
Generations Primary is based on the Montessori ethos of independent children working and the Cambridge model of education. The school structure consists of various phases with mixed-age groupings “which allows children to work together, to learn from and teach each other.” The mixed-age group 9 – 12 years has recently completed projects and tasks related to the Antarctic environment, creating a space where learners can develop, in a creative way, a sense of the 7th continent. The invite to visit the school to further connect the application of academics in the real world was welcomed.
The 110 learners with teachers, were presented with a rhythmic exercise with boom-whackers (musical plastic tubes) as an ice-breaker activity, which was followed by a “Journey through the Southern Ocean, via Marion Island, to Antarctica”, which was presented by Ria Olivier (ALSA), Sikelelwa Mtyenene (SAEON Egagasini Node), Abuyiselwe Nguna (SAPRI) and Riesna R. Audh (SAPRI). Various interactive exhibits were set up in the school hall, which further gave learners the opportunity to interact with the ALSA, SAPRI and SAEON teams.
“Journey through the Southern Ocean, via Marion Island, to Antarctica”
Follow the journey below.
Start at Cape Town Harbour - Ria Olivier
History: Archivist with 10 years' involvement in SANAP and Principal Investigator of the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa project, talks about South Africa's involvement in the Antarctic regions.
Sail past the coast of South Africa - Sikelelwa Mtyenene
Coastal voyage: research conducted in the coast off South Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet.
Stop at Marion Island - Abuyiselwe Nguna
Science weather, fauna and flora. The speaker shares his experience as a field assistant, part of a Marion Island overwintering team member.
Cross the Southern Ocean - Riesna Audh
Oceanographic sampling on board the South African research and supply vessel, the S.A. Agulhas II.
Pass seaice and icebergs - Riesna Audh
The speaker has been on board the S.A. Agulhas II during various Antarctic expeditions (counting to over 300 days in total), for her research on sea ice in the Antarctic marginal ice zone. She shares her experiences.
Arrive at Antarctica - Abuyiselwe Nguna
What you can expect. Antarctic operations. Clothing (protective gear) and more info about the South African National Antarctic Expedition station (SANAE IV).
Interactive exhibits
This collaborative science engagement event was focused on communicating marine and Antarctic research in such a way to foster curiosity for these regions. The school also received a set of books sponsored by the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa (see image below).
In 2015, The Department of Science and Technology (DST) facilitated the first dedicated oceanographic winter expedition on the S.A. Agulhas II from 23 July – 14 August 2015. The success of this expedition and others that followed demonstrated the need expressed by the wider marine and Southern Ocean research community and has prompted the DSI to secure funds for additional dedicated research expeditions in 2024, 2025 and 2026. The number of dedicated research expeditions will depend on the need expressed and the funding available. The core objective is to develop a comprehensive marine and Antarctic research expedition plan for 2024-2026, underpinned by the Marine and Antarctic Research Strategy (MARS) and contributing to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for sustainable development. These dedicated research expeditions will not only encompass oceanography but will provide research opportunities for marine-related and South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) –related research.
MARS was developed to provide a platform from which to coordinate marine and Antarctic research. The assumption is that improved coordination of a currently fragmented science system will improve returns on investment. Structured planning and a guided strategic focus will maximize human capital development and bring South Africa to the international forefront of knowledge production in these research areas. From this will follow innovation, increased international influence, and ultimately, economic growth.
The NRF and the South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) have been tasked with coordinating various activities that will feed into improved planning and coordinating of marine and Antarctic research activities. As such, the NRF together with SAPRI would like to maximise on the opportunities for dedicated expeditions based on research community needs to enable long-term planning for expeditions, including sourcing funding for such expeditions. Dedicated expeditions may be implemented in periods where the S.A. Agulhas II is available. The schedule for the annual relief voyages indicate periods when the S.A. Agulhas II is not available (relief voyages for Antarctica, Marion Island and Gough Island). The direction (expedition transects), duration (including number and types of stations) and research focus of each dedicated research expedition would then be decided on by the DSI, together with the NRF, based on such variables as proposed participation, research area alignment, MARS theme alignment, contribution to the Ocean Decade and overall return on investment (data collection and capacity development.). To this end, SAPRI can support the costs of any in person meetings required to discuss collaborative research expeditions.
It should be noted that the attached annexure may change depending on the activities of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE). For example, an emergency may require DFFE to deploy the S.A. Agulhas II to enable the Department of Public Works to do building maintenance and repairs at any of the three bases. As such, all potential dedicated expeditions will need to be approved by the DFFE before final planning can begin.
Please complete the template and return to tj.klarenbeek@risa.nrf.ac.za no later than 15 August 2023. The completed templates will give an indication of research community demand. More detailed research plans will be requested hereafter.
Text: Expression of interest, Participation in dedicated research expeditions 2024, 2025, 2026. Tracy Klarenbeek, Director: Knowledge Advancement and Support (KAS), National Research Foundation (NRF), Research Innovation Support and Advancement (RISA).
The South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) is getting a corporate identity (CI).
The South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) is one of 13 large Research Infrastructures (RIs) developed by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) as part of the South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap (SARIR).
The SAPRI was established in 2021 to ensure coordination of South African marine and Antarctic research as a national Big Science programme, providing seamless access to existing and new research infrastructure required to develop and enhance long-term observations of South Africa’s polar region.
The ultimate objective of SAPRI is to enable balanced research growth across the polar disciplines, and to maintain and further expand the world-class long-term observational datasets already established.
The SAPRI is designed as a consortium hosted at the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), a long-term environmental observation and research facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF).
The SAPRI logo
The first step of the SAPRI CI was the design of a logo. The CI vendor has worked with a somewhat complicated brief, making sure that the CI is inclusive of marine and polar (land and sea), not focusing on one specific aspect within SAPRI.
The brief furthermore included:
Transforming, strengthening and consolidating SA’s marine and polar sciences.
Recognisable, professional and accessible.
Pride in SA’s involvement in marine and polar research.
SAPRI logo rationale:
The graphic element in this logo is a representation of SAPRI’s infrastructural support to research on both land and at sea.
While the top part is representative of land features of Antarctica and sub-Antarctic islands (e.g. ice, mountain), the bottom section represents water, or the ocean, as well as the shape of South Africa as seen on a map. In addition, the simplistic lines used to form the water is a rudimentary representation of data and the continuity of research.
To make for a versatile logo, transferable to different materials and backgrounds, various modifications can be used.
The main logo will have the colours of the South African flag incorporated.
Full colour versions (horizontal, vertical or in a circle):
Black versions (horizontal, vertical or in a circle):
White versions (horizontal, vertical or in a circle) – to be used on a full colour backgrounds:
On 19th of June, the world comes together to celebrate World Albatross Day, an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about these magnificent seabirds and the conservation challenges they face. World Albatross Day serves as a crucial platform to educate and inspire action to protect these iconic ocean wanderers. With their graceful flight and important ecological role, albatrosses deserve our attention and concerted efforts for their survival.
South Africa is a long-standing Party to the International Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP). The agreement was brought into existence on 1 February 2004. The day also falls on the date of the signing of the Agreement 22 years ago. ACAP has chosen the theme “Plastic Pollution” to mark the fourth World Albatross Day, to be celebrated on 19 June 2023. This follows the inaugural theme “Eradicating Island Pests” in 2020, “Ensuring Albatross-friendly Fisheries” in 2021, and “Climate Change” last year in 2022.
Multiple species of albatross are found across the Southern Ocean. This includes Antarctic, sub-Antarctic and subtropical waters. These albatrosses breed on sub-Antarctic and Antarctic islands including South Africa’s sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Marion Island holds significant breeding populations of four albatross species – the Wandering Diomedea exulans, Grey-headed, Light-mantled Phoebetria palpebrata and Sooty Phoebetria fusca. In addition to this, two other species of albatrosses have been seen ashore on Marion Island – Black-browed and Indian Yellow-nosed Thalassarchecarteri. To read more about the “other” two species of albatrosses recorded from Marion Island as uncovered by one of our researchers Kim Stevens, click here.
The Challenges Facing Albatrosses
Albatrosses face a range of challenges that threaten their survival. One of the most pressing issues is longline fishing, where albatrosses can become accidentally caught on fishing hooks, leading to injury or death. Pollution, habitat destruction, climate change, and invasive species on breeding islands also pose significant risks to their populations. World Albatross Day sheds light on these challenges and promotes measures to mitigate their impact. The pressing threats to Albatrosses in the Southern Ocean include invasive species on breeding islands, most notably, the house mice on Marion Island. Introduced to Marion Island by sealers in the early 19th century, the house mice have been inflicting devastating impacts on the ecology of the island, including killing its native seabirds.
Conservation Efforts and Awareness
The Mouse-Free Marion Project is a registered non-profit company in South Africa, established to eradicate the invasive albatross-killing mice on Marion Island. The project was initiated by BirdLife South Africa and the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). Upon successful completion, the project will restore the critical breeding habitat of over two million seabirds, many globally threatened, and improve the island’s resilience to a warming climate. For more information or to support the project please visit mousefreemarion.org.
May 2023: Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment, confirms government support for the Mouse-Free Marion Project in her budget speech.
What can you do?
In keeping with this year’s theme for World Albatross Day “Plastic Pollution”, as an individual you can participate by reducing plastic pollution, organising or joining local beach cleanups, where you can help remove litter and prevent it from reaching the oceans, including minimising the use of single-use plastics. Education plays a vital role in driving positive change for albatross conservation. Increase your understanding of albatross biology, their unique adaptations, the threats they face, and the ecological importance they hold in marine ecosystems by reading some of these selected publications here. By raising awareness and fostering partnerships, we can work collectively to safeguard albatross populations and their habitats.
Let us unite in our efforts to protect these majestic ocean wanderers and ensure a future where albatrosses continue to grace our oceans for generations to come.
