PhD student

Current studies

Anton is currently investigating the effects of oiling and rehabilitation on the breeding productivity and annual moult and breeding cycles of African Penguins for his PhD degree.  His supervisors are Prof. Les Underhill from the ADU, and Dr. Tony Williams from the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board.

Qualifications and experience

Anton completed a BSc degree, majoring in Zoology and Environmental and Geographical Science at U.C.T in 1993, and a BSc (Honours) degree at Stellenbosch University in Nature Conservation in 1999.  Anton’s Honours thesis dealt with the dynamics of beach debris at Dassen Island and its effects on the island’s seabird populations.  From 1994 to 1995 Anton worked for the then Sea Fisheries Research Institute as a researcher at the sub-Antarctic Marion Island, where he conducted studies on Gentoo, Macaroni and Rockhopper penguins, Imperial Cormorants and various other seabirds.  Anton was based at Dassen Island Nature Reserve from 1996 until 2001, where he worked first as a contract scientist, and then as the Reserve Manager. His research at Dassen Island focused broadly on the ecology and conservation of seabirds, with a particular emphasis on the impact of oil pollution on African Penguins.  Anton currently works as a Conservation Ecologist for Cape Nature Conservation, and is interested in the field of conservation biology and how it can be applied to help manage biodiversity more effectively.

List of publications

Books and contributions to books

Wolfaardt, A.C. & Nel, D.C. 2003. Breeding productivity and annual cycle of rehabilitated African Penguins following oiling. In Nel, D.C. & Whittington, P.A. (Eds) Rehabilitation of oiled African Penguins: a conservation success story. Cape Town, BirdLife South Africa and the Avian Demography Unit.

Research reports

Luna, G. Hennicke, J., Wallace, R., Simeone, A., Wolfaardt, A., Whittington, P., Ellis, S. & Mcgovern, M. (eds). 2002. Spheniscus Penguin Conservation Workshop: Final Report. IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group: Apple Valley, USA.

Whittington, P.A., Crawford, R.J.M., Huyser, O., Oschadleus, H.D. Randall, R.M.,Ryan, P.G. Shannon, L, J., Wolfaardt, A.C., Cooper, J., Lacy, R. & Ellis, S. (eds) 2000. African Penguin Population and Habitat Viability Assessment. Final Report. IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Breeding Group, Apple Valley, MN 55124, USA.

Research papers

Cooper, J., Wolfaardt, A.C., & Crawford, R.J.M. 1997. Trends in population size and breeding success at colonies of Macaroni and Rockhopper Penguins, Marion Island, 1979/80-1995/96. CCAMLR Science 4: 125-147.

Crawford R.J.M., Davis. S.A., Harding, R., Jackson, L.F., Leshoro, T.M., Meyer, M.A., Randall, R.M., Underhill, L.G., Upfold, L., van Dalsen, A.P., van der Merwe, E., Whittington, P.A., Williams, A.J. & Wolfaardt, A.C. 2000. Initial impact of the Treasure oil spill on seabirds off western South Africa. South African Journal of Marine Science 22: 157-176. 

Crawford, R.J.M., David, J.H.M., Shannon, L.J., Kemper, J., Klages, N.T.W, Roux. J.-P., Underhill, L.G., Ward, V.C., Williams, A.J. & Wolfaardt, A.C. 2001. African Penguins as predators and prey – coping (or not) with change. South African Journal of Marine Science 23: 435-447.

Crawford, R.J.M, Cooper, J., Dyer, B.M., Upfold, L., Venter, A.D., Whittington, P.A., Williams, A.J. & Wolfaardt, A.C. 2002. Longevity, inter-colony movements and breeding of Crested Terns in South Africa. Emu 102: 1-9.

Crawford, R.J.M., Duncombe rae, C.M., Greyling, M.D., Hanise, B., Holness, C.L., Keith, D., Nel, J., Peterson, S., Spencer, K. & Wolfaardt, A.C. 2003. Trends in population size, success and timing of breeding and mass at fledging of gentoo penguins Pygoscelis papua at Marion Island, 1994-2001. Afr. J. Mar.Sci. 25:

Underhill, L.G., Bartlett, P.A., Baumann, L., Crawford, R.J.M., Dyer, B.M., Gildenhuys, A., Nel, D.C., Oatley, T.B., Thornton, M., Upfold, L., Williams, A.J., Whittington, P.A. & Wolfaardt, A.C. 1999. Mortality and survival of African Penguins Spheniscus demersus involved in the Apollo Sea oil spill: an evaluation of rehabilitation efforts. Ibis 141: 29-37.

Underhill, L.G. Kemper, J., Whittington, P.A. & Wolfaardt, A.C. 2000. Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiacus moulting on Dassen Island, South Africa. Marine Ornithology 28: 121-122.

Underhill, L.G., Whittington, P.A., Crawford, R.J.M., Williams, A.J., Wolfaardt, A.C. 2000. Five years of monitoring African Penguins Spheniscus demersus after the Apollo Sea oil spill: a success story made possible by ringing. Vogelwarte 40: 215-218.

Wolfaardt, A.C.1999. Dassen Island’s penguins, in the aftermath of Apollo Sea. Penguin Conservation 12 (2): 22.

Wolfaardt, A.C., Underhill, L.G., Crawford, R.J.M. & Klages, N.T.W. 2001. Results of the 2001 Census of African Penguins Spheniscus demersus in South Africa: First Measures of the Impact of the Treasure Oil Spill on the Breeding Population. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 56 (1): 45-49.

Conference presentations

Crawford, R.J.M., Davis, S.A., Harding, R., Jackson, L.F., Leshoro, T.M., Meyer, M.A., Randall, R.M. Underhill. L.G., Upfold, L., Van Dalsen, A.P., Van der Merwe, E., Whittington, P.A., Williams, A.J., & Wolfaardt, A.C. 2000. Assessment of the initial impact of the Treasure oil spill on the African Penguin off western South Africa. Fourth International Penguin Conference, La Serena, Chile. (presented by P.A. Whittington). Tenth Pan-African Ornithological Congress. Entebbe, Uganda (presented by H.D. Oschadleus). 2000 International Wader Study Group Conference. Norwich, U.K. (presented by L.G.Underhill).

Crawford R.J.M., David J.H.M., Shannon L.J., Kemper J., Klages N.T.W., Roux J-P, Underhill L.G., Ward V.C., Williams A.J., Wolfaardt A.C. 2000. African Penguins as predators and prey – coping (or not) with change. Fourth International Penguin Conference. La Serena, Chile. (Presented by RJM Crawford).