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A teen girl is braving the icy Cape Town waters to raise money for the endangered African Penguin and other seabirds.

Kay-Lee Mouton, a 14-year-old student at Hoërskool Dirkie Uys – in Moorreesberg, the heart of the Swartland – is taking on the Island Escape swimming challenge, ticking off a bucket list Robben Island crossing while also attempting to raise funds for SAPREC – Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre.

Kay-Lee says she has been swimming passionately since the age of three and has completed numerous big swims since then. In October, the swimming champ came in 22nd out of 118 swimmers in the gruelling six-kilometre Langebaan Express Open Water swim.

Her school proudly showed her off:

This December, Kay-Lee is excited to swim even further in Big Bay Event‘s Island Escape swim, a 7,4-kilometre swim from Robben Island to Blouberg Strand. In doing so, she hopes to raise a nice amount of money for SAPREC:

 

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As Kay-Lee said, anyone can pitch in and help her on her ‘Freedom’ lap. If you would like to support Key-Lee and SAPREC, please feel free to donate to the following banking details and use Key-Lee as a reference.

Saprec
Standard Bank Mossel Bay
Current account
Account number: 082 847 665
Branch: 504 1444

The team at SAPREC fights for every sick or injured seabird that lives to pass through their doors and hopes to provide a happy release back to their natural habitat when they are back on track.  For the birds that cannot be released, SAPREC says they give them the best life that they can.

 

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In just 100 years, African penguin numbers have dwindled from over 1.5 million to fewer than 10,000 pairs today, notes the Two Oceans Aquarium. If their numbers continue to decline at their current rate, these charismatic birds will be functionally extinct in the wild within 15 to 20 years.

It is a gracious and kind thing for Kay-Lee to dedicate a swim to these cute little waddlers, bringing attention to their plight and helping the rehabilitation organisation work to ensure their survival.

[source:saprec]