18 SEPTEMBER. NAMIBIA, SOUTH AFRICA:
SEABIRDS, MARINE MAMMALS Nothing manifesting itself w.r.t ENSO affecting
birds as yet. I imagine it will. Poor anchovy this year resulted in fewer
numbers of birds breeding, most notable being swift terns. Very little
rain in SW Cape this winter may be ENSO related. Are you aware of the shift
in pelagic fish distribution in Namibia. Seems that they shifted northward
and into southern Angola. Seals were first to respond and relocated and
formed new colonies near Cunene. Some Crocodiles in rivers in southern
Angola don't quite know how to deal with seals invading their habitat.
Gannetries in Namibia crashed with numbers esp. at Ichaboe now occurring
at very low numbers. Other seabird numbers also low but do not appear to
be as worse for wear.--Bruce Dyer <BDYER@sfri.wcape.gov.za>
Back to The 1997
El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO 97-98)