Supporting conservation efforts at La Pentola
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Meet Marley, a critically endangered African penguin and our mascot at La Pentola Hermanus.
Over the past 100 years, the African penguin has suffered steep declines in its population, from an estimated 141 000 breeding pairs in the 1950s, to just 9 950 pairs in 2024 – 8 750 of which are in South Africa.
Before the invention of artificially produced fertiliser, guano (a mix of eggshell, feathers, decayed corpses, and bird excrement) was considered a top-quality fertiliser rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.
Penguins used to build their nests by burrowing into the thick layers of guano that provided well protected, temperature-controlled burrows.
This guano was scraped from penguin breeding islands, exposing the African Penguin to the harsh African heat and occasional flooding, making their eggs and chicks an easy meal for predators like gulls and skuas. To save the African penguin from extinction we need to focus on pro-active measures like providing the penguins with an artificial nest that will meet all the requirements of a perfect penguin home.
At La Pentola, every time you purchase a bottle of the Chef's Shiraz, a portion of the sale is donated to the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary in Gansbaai to aid in their African penguin conservation efforts.
To date, we have raised over R100 000 thanks to the support of our guests.
African Penguin &
Seabird Sanctuary
The African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary provides temporary care to diseased, displaced, injured, oiled, and abandoned marine birds with special focus on the endangered African penguin. Marine bird rescue, rehabilitation, and releases form part of the conservation management plan to stabilise and maintain population numbers. Rehabilitation is a re-active but important intervention. Every single penguin saved through rehabilitation contributes to the conservation effort, to prevent the extinction of the African penguin.
Tessies Genuine
Mineral Water
La Pentola prioritises environmental consciousness by using Tessies Genuine Mineral Water which comes bottled in glass. Aside from UV sterilisation (and adding CO₂ for sparkling water), Tessies water remains untreated and unaltered. It is sourced and bottled directly at its source in Tesselaarsdal in the Overberg, preserving its natural microbiological purity and chemical balance. After use, the bottles are collected, thoroughly sanitised, and reused ensuring that no waste is sent to landfill.
Dyer Island Conservation Trust
The Dyer Island Conservation Trust was founded in 2006 by Wilfred Chivell, a true ocean warrior and the owner of Marine Dynamics Travel and Dyer Island Cruises. A native of Gansbaai, Wilfred knows the reefs, rocks and wrecks along the Gansbaai coastline like the inside of his home. His passion for the conservation of this diverse environment has placed the greater Dyer Island region on the international map. Their primary partners, Marine Dynamics & Dyer Island Cruises, provide the trust with significant funding and the operational platform from which the Trust operates. Donations from tourists who come to view the Great white shark, visit the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary or join the eco cruises contribute greatly towards their work.
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