Small transmitters had been attached to their back plumage using velcro straps and adhesive. Signals from the transmitters were picked up by satellite and their progress against a map of the coastline displayed on a website belonging to the Avian Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town. According to Professor Les Underhill, Head of the unit, the African Penguin population has been decreasing at a rate of around two percent per annum. This latest oil spill, occurring in the breeding season was, he said, a major setback. Great White Sharks and Cape Fur Seals which feed off penguins were the main threat.
Penguins have strong homing instincts and travel extensively before breeding.
Flipper tags on many of them allow conservationists to keep track of their movements. In the meantime, divers, working in icy waters at a depth of 50 metres, were struggling against heavy swells to drain the Treasure of the remainder of its oil and stem what appeared to be continuing leakage. If the penguins returned too soon or if the ship cracked up in the swell one of the world's largest and so-far most successful wildlife rescue operations could still become a disaster. In the meantime all attention was the progress of Peter, Pamela and Percy. The website was the cause of some amusement when it opened up showing Peter moving at uncharacteristic speed along wrong direction.