Landau 27th March 2024. One year ago, Gabriele Knauf, the founder and long-standing chairwoman of Sphenisco, passed away. She had been campaigning for Humboldt penguins and the protection of their habitat since 1994. Together with her husband, she initiated the association Sphenisco-Schutz des Humboldt-Pinguins e.V. in 2008 and managed the organisation until her death.
Activities in Europe
Burnie, Nuremberg, 10 February 2024
In January of this year, we were working as volunteers for the Penguin Rehab & Release (https://www.penguinrehab.org/) Sanctuary in Burnie, Tasmania.
Penguin Rehab and Release is the only facility in North West Tasmania dedicated to the rehabilitation of penguins (and other seabirds) who come into their care due to illness, injury or exhaustion, with the aim of preparing them for a successful release.
This year has been an above-average busy season for Penguin Rehab and Release, in which 33 penguins have already been successfully cared for, overseen and released back into their natural habitat. Currently, 16 penguins are still being cared for at the facility in order to regain their health and the strength for their release. Caring for such a large number of penguins is not only time-consuming, but also costly, and the organization's resources are currently almost exhausted.
The following article is therefore not only intended to report on our experiences in the care and reintroduction of sick, injured or exhausted penguins, but is also connected with the request for donations for this organization and its highly commendable work. Donations can be made by PayPal via the following link: Donate (PayPal)
Edenkoben July 6, 2023
It was very difficult for us to attend this year's general meeting. Until now we have always been looking forward to the reunion with like-minded people and to the reports and exchange of ideas about our projects. However, the death of Gabriele weighed like a dark shadow over our meeting. We are mourning with Werner and our pain continues. With uneasy feeings we entered the room of the zoo school we had come to love and where we founded our association fifteen years ago and elected Gabriele as our first chairwoman.
Landau April 19, 2023
We would like to thank you sincerely for the many expressions of condolence, sympathy and friendship that we received after the death of Gabriele Knauf. Also the amount of donations to Sphenisco, which had been asked for in lieu of flowers at the funeral, was overwhelming. A big thank you to all donors! We are touched and grateful to have received so much support, which will help to continue the work for the protection of the Humboldt Penguin in the spirit and memory of Gabriele Knauf with all our strength.
Werner Knauf, Dr. Christina Schubert Klaus Blumer
Landau March 27, 2023.
Sphenisco is in shock and mourns the loss of its Chairwoman, Gabriele Knauf. On March 21, she died suddenly and unexpectedly in Landau. Without Gabriele, Sphenisco would not exist. In 2008, together with her husband, she initiated the Association for the Protection of the Humboldt Penguin and its Habitat. Since then, she has been chairwoman of the association without interruption. With commitment, creativity, perseverance, political savvy and dignity, she shaped the work and contributed significantly to leading the association to where it is today.
WWF and Rostock Zoo draw attention to invisible traps on the seabed
Rostock January 21, 2022.
At Rostock Zoo a new outdoor exhibition was opened together with representatives of the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) at and even in the penguin basin. The purpose of the initiative "Ghost Nets - Danger for Animals and Humans is to draw attention to the considerable dangers posed by ghost nets in our oceans. The exhibition, a collaboration project between WWF and Rostock Zoo, is on display until March.
Landau November 7, 2021.
Sphenisco is taking part in the "Make room with heart" campaign. This is a non-profit initiative that supports social projects around the world by reselling old clothes. In the current voting, the 100 non-profit organizations with the most votes will each receive 500 euros.
Landau 13 October 2021.
The proponents of the mining and port projects "Cruz grande" and "Dominga" are strongly on the defensive due to the revelations of the last weeks (see reports on www.sphenisco.org). The chances are good to finally push through the long overdue marine protected area for the valuable ecosystem "Archipel Humboldt". The association "Save the Rainforest" has put the petition " Humboldt penguins finally need protection!" online.
... or a different kind of members meeting (once again)
Magdeburg 22th of July 2021.
The title already gives a hint: Pandemic and general assembly are not compatible! Also one „beak length“ distance, as I like to call it as a hobby penguinologist in reference to a well-known penguin researcher, is not a hundred per cent safety from a virus that has been influencing the lifes of all people in all countries for more than one and a half year.
Sphenisco e.V.
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