Locals help in the rescue efforts 20,000 Penguins under the sea

They were seeking volunteers to help save penguins in peril from an oil spill off Cape Town.

Both Nicholas and Sureda left for Africa, where they took part in what is now called the "2000 Treasure Oil Spill Penguin Rescue".

Along with 1,000 other volunteers from around the world, they were taken to a warehouse in that had seventeen pens set up to accommodate the penguins that had already been rescued.

"Surprisingly, the noise level was not all that high, but the smell was overwhelming," says Nicholas, who remebered the massive amounts of thawing sardines and bird droppings..

The rescue process involved having the volunteers wash the birds with dishwashing detergent, which not only removed the oil, but also removed the bird's natural oils.

The next step was to allow the penguins time to preen and swim, so they would regain their waterproofing before they

"We had to herd a few birds at a time into the pool, let them swim for about ten minutes, and then herd them out," says Nicholas.

This routine went on until all 1,000 birds had been allowed to swim, and been fed.

The feeding process for just one pen took all morning, utilizing up to 30 volunteers.

Weaker penguins were evaluated and sent to an alternative pen, where they received tubing, force-feeding, and other intensive care; penguins needing medication were fed pills placed inside a fish. "Capturing wild birds is no picnic.

They fight and hiss, and bite or beat you with their wings as hard as they can," Nicholas said.

Sureda was put in charge of the pens housing the weaker penguins, that were unable to eat on their own. She was also taught to grade the birds for waterproofing. "Every inch of the birds had to be checked. Penguins are extremely strong and solid birds, so after handling anywhere from 600 to 800 of birds a day, my arms and hands were very tired," Sureda said.

By the sixth day, the birds were ready to be graded.

Each bird was allowed to swim for an hour, then undergo an indvidual examination. If the bird was deemed waterproof, it was ready to be returned to the wild.

The penguins that passed got a pink dot on their chest, and had blood work done before being banded and placed in a box for transport to Cape Town's nearby Milnerton Beach.

"The penguins were confused and bumping into each other. Then one started running toward the surf, and they all followed. To see them dive into the water and swim is one of the most moving experiences of my life," Nicholas said.