Books and artworks for sale: the Mouse-Free Marion Project stand at the South African Bird Fair, photograph by John Cooper

Following its attendance at the Global BirdFair in the United Kingdom in July this year, the Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds: The Mouse-Free Marion (MFM) Project once more went out to meet the birding public, this time at the South African Bird Fair, held by BirdLife South Africa in the Pretoria National Botanical Garden in pleasant surroundings, on Saturday 06 September.

Three members of the MFM Project Team, Robyn Adams, Communications Officer and Project Assistant, John Cooper, News Correspondent and Beate Hölscher, Research and Reporting Officer managed our stand on a fine-weather, although windy, day.  We interacted with visitors and sold a number of books about Marion and Prince Edward Islands that had kindly been donated by Ria Olivier of Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, as well as art prints by MFM Project supporters Kitty Harvill and Leigh Wolfaardt.  The opportunity to Sponsor a Hectare and to ‘visit’ remote Marion Island and view its incredible seabirds and ecosystems through virtual reality headsets – always popular – added to our offerings at the fair.

Thea Wooding purchased this print of a Wandering Albatross with Marion Island as a backdrop, painted by the MFM Project’s Artist in Residence Kitty Harvill aboard the Flock to Marion AGAIN! 2025 voyage in January

Interacting with fair attendees and raising awareness of the MFM Project were important outcomes of our presence.  We welcomed old and made new friends during the day-long event, being pleased to meet up with colleagues Carol Jacobs from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (who serves on several project committees and purchased three books) and project supporter Leandri de Beer (who took away a Kitty Harvill print), as well as with several others.

Chevonne Reynolds was pleased to purchase one of the only two copies of the now out-of-print “Marion and Prince Edward – Africa’s Southern Islands” that were on display, photograph by John Cooper

During the day John Cooper gave a 45-minute talk to around 40 bird lovers on the Project, following an introduction by Mark Anderson, Chair of the MFM Project Management Committee (and CEO of BirdLife South Africa).  John challenged those present to motivate their bird clubs to support the project by sponsoring hectares, pointing out that the top five supporting clubs have sponsored 202 ha between them, but some clubs have not as yet made a sponsorship.  His presentation clearly struck an emotional chord with the audience, with one attendee confessing afterwards to him that the sight of Wandering Albatross chicks being eaten alive by Marion’s mice had brought her to tears.  Later in the afternoon he attended presentations of annual Owl Awards by BirdLife South Africa.  Pleasing that out of the 12 awards, two were given to supporters of the MFM Project, Drs Azwianewi (Newi) Makhado and Michael Riffel (click here).

MFM Team members Robyn Adams (front) and Beate Hölscher interact with MFM Project ‘Giant Petrel’ Hectare Sponsors Ingrid and Dirk de Bruyn (left), who purchased a book and a Leigh Wolfaardt print, photograph by John Cooper

An exciting outcome of the day was that the donated linocut of a Pintado Petrel (that breeds on Marion Island in very small numbers) by artist Kathleen Ross, on BirdLife South Africa’s online auction with a reserve price of R1000, realized three times that amount, bringing in R3000 for the project’s funds. This followed a late and determined bidding war between two individuals before the auction closed that evening.  Having the framed print on display surely added to interest in it, resulting in several bids on the day.  We trust its new owner will enjoy it.

Auctioned for R3000! Pintado Petrel Daption capense, linocut and acrylic by Kathleen Ross, framing by The Frame Joint, after a photograph by Dirk van Zijl taken aboard the Flock to Marion AGAIN! 2025 voyage, photograph by John Cooper

Attending bird fairs both locally and internationally gets our message out there among new and receptive audiences and also helps raise funds.  Expect to see us at more fairs in the future!

With grateful thanks to Mark Anderson, Clare Neall and Kurt Martin of BirdLife South Africa, and Kitty Harvill, Ria Olivier, Kathleen Ross and Leigh Wolfaardt for donating items for sale.  We thank Habitat XR for the loan of the VR Headsets for the day, as well as their assistance in acquiring the footage of Marion Island.  Johan Hölscher (along with Beate) was both an excellent weekend host and helped us with transport and setting up and striking down our stand.

 

John Cooper. News Correspondent, Mouse-Free Marion Project, 18 September 2025

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A Light-mantled Albatross on Marion Island, watercolour by Lois Davis of Artists and Biologist Unite for Nature (ABUN) for the MFM Project, after a photograph by Michelle Risi

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.