One Okotoks resident will visit the flightless birds next year, living her dream while helping save an endangered species.
From March 1 to mid-April, Nicole Fernell will volunteer at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) to help save the endangered South African penguin.
A life-long animal lover—with a history of cats, dogs, and guinea pigs—animal conservation has always been important to Fernell.
Working at MarketSquare in addition to being an event planner and server at the Cottonwood Golf Course seven days a week, her goals of volunteering at the Calgary Zoo have been on hold—she said she knew she would want to be a full-time volunteer.
“When this came across, obviously I wanted to volunteer with a penguin sanctuary for so long, and this one really hit close to home in the sense that the South African penguin is an endangered species, and they have been declining so much over the last few years,” she said.
“I just thought if I could give back and help save some penguins then it would matter, it would count.”
Having always loved penguins, the journey to this volunteer experience has been years in the making.
Her five years of research into animal conservation programs culminated in the goal to help the penguins last year after her boyfriend took her to Edmonton to take part in the Penguin Experience for her birthday.
“We got to learn about South African penguins, we got to hold them, they painted a picture for us, we got to prepare their food and go behind the scenes,” she said. “So that was such a cool experience for me.”
Fernell found the opportunity to volunteer at the rehabilitation centre on Volunteer World, an online volunteer opportunity search portal, through the Mighty Roar program.
“That program actually works with the SANCCOB Rehabilitation Centre in Cape Town, South Africa,” she said. “They bring in over 2,500 seabirds a year, and they just brought in tons of birds.”
The recent influx of seabirds—including but not limited to penguins—was caused by a recent oil spill, but Fernell said the seabirds could need rehabilitation for everything from oil to garbage on the beaches, to fishermen.
The volunteers play an integral role to the rehabilitation process, aiding in the feeding, medicating, and nursing back to health before releasing the birds back into the wild.
Volunteering has always been a staple of Fernell’s life: from being on volunteer committees to event planning.
“I’m very eager to be part of the community and just part of something that matters, and something that’s going to help,” she said.
Fernell has paid her deposit, booked her flights and is in the process of getting caught up on her vaccinations to travel—including rabies, hepatitis A and B, typhoid, and tetanus and diphtheria.
To help raise money for the seven-week volunteer experience, Fernell has been selling penguin-themed merchandise—such as t-shirts, tank tops, prints, magnets, and chocolates—which were all made from local artisans.
“I don’t want to directly ask people for money because this is a passion of mine,” she said. “That’s why I went with my merchandise, that way they’re buying something that’s tangible, that they get to use or eat.”
She also has run some spur-of-the-moment bottle drives.
Fernell said she will be paying for her own travel expenses, and that the money raised will help to cover the volunteer fee for the program, which includes room and board.
Fernell has created a Facebook page, Nicole’s Penguin Rescue Journey, where people can keep up to date with the fundraising efforts, penguin tidbits, and updates while she is in South Africa.
“When you are fundraising… I want people to know A) where the money is going, and B) what I’m doing,” she said. “I want people to be able to see my journey, and when I’m there I want to post pictures and experiences, and I just want people to know exactly what I’m doing.”
To keep up-to-date with her journey or to purchase some merchandise, go to Nicole’s Penguin Rescue Journey on Facebook.
