MONKEY BUSINESS:
Africa’s largest bird park, World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary, has appealed to the public to help keep its doors open and staff employed. The popular tourist attraction has identified the outbreak of avian influenza as the major reason for falling visitor numbers and having to sell a portion of the property to keep afloat.
THE World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest bird park in Africa, has been flooded with public support and donations totalling more than R130 000 to keep their doors open and staff employed.
The park still needs R500 000 to carry on with their services through the next season.
Last week the park received great news from Astral, a leading South African integrated poultry producer, that pledged R100 000 a month to assist with either goods or services in an effort to assist the park to continue to perform its important community service and act as a haven for sick and injured birds and small wildlife.
The firm spoke of plans to assist with feed, poultry by-products, eggs and improvements to the facility’s general infrastructure.
“We will also assist with the re-drilling of one of the boreholes on the World of Birds’ property in order to reduce the monthly municipal water bill,” Gary Arnold, managing director of Astral, said.
The popular tourist attraction in Hout Bay is a paradise for nature lovers and photographers.
Manager and co-owner, Hendrik Louw, cited the avian influenza disease as the major reason for selling a portion of the property to keep the doors open.
The sanctuary is a privately run wildlife park that provides sanctuary for 2 000 injured birds and small mammals.
This service has been offered for free to the greater Cape Town area for the past 40 years.
To help the facility, visit https://www. backabuddy.co.za/world-of-birds-wildlifesanctuary-campaign