Above picture: MFM Project Manager Anton Wolfaardt on a solo 27-km run on the steep “Stairway to Heaven” part of the Klipspringer Trail in the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy near his home in the Western Cape
Since its formation in early September, the Mouse-Free Marion Cycling Team has grown to 30 members, with keen cyclists out on their bikes in Gauteng and the Western Cape every weekend in our team jerseys, raising awareness among other cyclists – and during our near-obligatory coffee stops. This month 10 of us will be cycling as a charity group in the Virgin Active Ride Joburg event over 97 km around the streets of Johannesburg, including over the -iconic Nelson Mandela Bridge. Although awareness raising for Marion Island’s beleaguered seabirds is the main aim of the team, we will also attempt to raise much-needed funds via an online appeal – now open for donations.
Still looking fresh in her MFM Cycling jersey! Penguin biologist Katta Ludynia on the top of Franschhoek Pass on a 160-km training ride (with 1900 m of climbing) for the Double Century team event over 205 km on 23 November
Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project Manager Anton Wolfaardt admits to being only an occasional cyclist and on trying on his team jersey he remarked he would get more use out of an active shirt while running on the mountain trails around his home village in the Western Cape’s Overstrand region. Anton is an avowed trail runner and his exploits have already raised a handsome sum for the project. An enquiry to Salt Cycling, the maker of our jerseys, revealed that they also make active shirts suitable for runners, hikers and walkers. Our order soon followed and so far, 25 shirts with an albatross logo and the words “Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds” across the shoulders are being worn by runners within the team, including Anton and myself, as well as by others.
Five members of the Rondebosch Rocky Road Runners in their new MFM active shirts gather on the steps of Rhodes Memorial on the slopes of Table Mountain during a recent dawn run; photograph by Marguerite Conradie
So far, five shirts have gone to members of my informal running group, the Rondebosch Rocky Road Runners, which describes itself as made up of “friends who enjoy running together, providing support and encouragement to each other in an attempt to remain fit, healthy and sane”. The RRRR group has already sponsored a total of 18 ha for the project, marking milestone birthdays of two of its members, Sydney Cullis and myself, as listed on the website’s honour roll. Up in Gauteng several members of the cycling team have also been out running and will soon receive their active shirts.
The Mouse-Free Marion active shirt; illustration from Salt Cycling
It is planned that the MFM Project’s cycling jerseys and active shirts will become available for purchase by the public through BirdLife South Africa’s online shop. Here’s hoping awareness of the MFM Project will spread among both cyclists and runners throughout the country, and lead to their support in helping save Marion Island and its seabirds from the “killer mice”. And bring in some donations and sponsorships as well!
Rondebosch Rocky Road Runners at Rhodes Memorial in the dawn light; five more members have their Mouse-Free Marion active shirts on order; photograph by Marguerite Conradie
John Cooper, News Correspondent, Mouse-Free Marion Project, 14 November 2024
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Marion Island on a very rare cloudless day from space
The Mouse-Free Marion Project is a registered non-profit company (No. 2020/922433/08) in South Africa, established to eradicate the invasive albatross-killing mice on Marion Island in the Southern Ocean. The project was initiated by BirdLife South Africa and the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. Upon successful completion, the project will restore the critical breeding habitat of over two million seabirds, many globally threatened, and improve the island’s resilience to a warming climate. For more information or to support the project please visit mousefreemarion.org.
