As the curator of birds at the Durban Natural Science Museum, Allan has had plenty of experience with the birdlife of KwaZulu-Natal. He is an expert on a wide variety of avian species, but is particularly passionate about pelagic seabirds. After moving to Durban from Cape Town nearly two decades ago, he began leading deep-sea birding trips that would allow others to experience the thrill of seeing these ocean-going species in their natural environment. Since then, he has led more than 60 such expeditions, and has become a renowned authority on pelagics.
Those that attend Allan's talk will be regaled with stories from his expeditions, including the tale of how Allan and his team learned to attract rare seabirds to the vessel using a unique chumming technique. Allan will touch on some of his favourite pelagic species, including skuas and petrels, shearwaters, and of course, the awe-inspiring albatrosses. Guests will learn about the amazing adaptations that allow these species to find food in the vast expanse of open ocean and to survive without seeing land for long periods of time. Best of all, Allan will illustrate his talk with the spectacular photos that he has collected during his time at sea.
The talk on 11 July will begin at 9am, although guests should aim to arrive half an hour beforehand in time for welcoming and registration. Allan is expected to speak for approximately one to one and a half hours, which will include a question and answers session and then be followed by tea, coffee and scones. Crocworld Conservation Centre general manager, Martin Rodrigues, is looking forward to the event, saying "David Allan presents fantastic talks and we are very excited to hear him speak on 11 July. We expect the talk to be popular, so please book your seats as soon as possible to avoid disappointment".
Tickets for this event are priced at R70 per adult, and R30 for pensioners, students and scholars. They include entrance into Crocworld Conservation Centre's regular exhibitions, and guests are invited to stay on and explore the park after the talk finishes.
Bird enthusiasts will love the Centre's collection of aviaries, which together house more than 35 species. The Centre is also home to a variety of snakes and four crocodilian species, including Henry the Nile crocodile - who at 114 is the oldest known Nile crocodile in captivity. After a full morning of exploring, guests can purchase light lunches and refreshments at Le Rendez-Vous, the park's onsite restaurant. Le Rendez-Vous overlooks the ocean, enabling visitors to keep an eye out for passing whales, dolphins and seabirds - including some of the pelagics that Allan will touch upon in his talk.
To make your reservation, contact: Nolean Allun, Crocworld Conservation Centre on 039 976 1103/083 654 9651 or e-mail az.oc.lbc@dlrowcorc.
