Dead African penguins were found in their most famous colony after an attack by swarms of bees aimed at the birds’ eyes.
The death of 63 otherwise healthy adult penguins is on Boulders Beach near Cape Town a setback for the conservation of the endangered species, and conservationists warn that it is on the way to « functional extinction » by 2035 if the population continues to decline.
The gruesome discovery at one of South Africa’s top tourist destinations puzzled scientists who initially suspected a toxin as there were no predator injuries until a tiny bee sting was discovered during autopsies.
David Roberts, a veterinarian who examined the birds, said, “They are so small that we are easily overlooked them all
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