You may think of all penguins as inhabitants of ice-cold places humans rarely visit, and while that is partly true, a number of penguin species are found in tropical and temperate regions. Like Galapagos penguins and African penguins which can be found only in certain areas, Humboldt penguins can be found in only one place: South America. These curious flightless birds reside along the rocky shores of Chile and Peru, where the cold Humboldt ocean current flows in a northwesterly direction. Sadly, the Humboldt penguin is in danger of becoming extinct. Here, we’ll learn more about these seabirds, and take a look at what is being done to help increase their chances of surviving on a changing planet.
Giving Humboldt Penguins a Fighting Chance
Humboldt penguins are fascinating birds. Usually between 22 and 28 inches long, and weighing in at eight to thirteen pounds on average, they have black heads with white borders that run behind the eyes and around the birds’ black ear coverlets to join at the throat. They have black bands on their breasts that extend down toward their feet, separating their bellies from their dorsal surfaces. Their wings are typically black, as are their feet. Chicks emerge from their eggs as fuzzy grey balls of fluff, and are reared by both parents. Juvenile Humboldt penguins have no breast bands, and all the birds have spines on their tongues, which help them hold their prey firmly in place while swimming underwater.
These birds burrow into nests they make from guano, though they sometimes nest in shallow caves and along rocky ledges. Despite their diligent efforts to keep reproducing on their own, they are facing tough challenges – most of which are the same other marine animals are facing. Destructive fishing practices are wreaking havoc on their food supply, their habitats are being degraded, and they are threatened by climate change as well as ocean acidification. Some additional threats these penguins face include the harvesting of their nitrogen-rich guano habitats for use as fertilizer, and the encroachment of nearby chicken farms that hold chickens that could potentially spread disease to healthy penguins and other rare South American birds. Recently, dynamite fishermen have been killing penguins along with the fish they are targeting. Right now, there are estimated to be less than 3,000 Humboldt penguins alive in the wild.
Luckily, South America loves its penguins. With help from the Saint Louis Zoo in St. Louis Missouri, a new study is being undertaken. The penguins are being granted special breeding reserves, and the public is being provided with education about the penguins and about the vital role they play in South America’s marine environment. Penguins are being treated to health assessments within their reserve, and biological data is being gathered to help keep track of the birds and monitor their health.
Researchers and scientists from Saint Louis, South America, and other locations are coming together to study these beautiful birds, and to help ensure that fisheries are being regulated properly, and that guano is being harvested in a way that is ecologically sound. By helping to promote local awareness and ensure sustainability, this team of caring individuals is doing all it can to help Humboldt penguins survive into the future, and to help the people of South America enjoy a better future, as well.