Chile’s humboldt penguins declared endangered as scientists warn of rapid decline

Chile’s Humboldt Penguins Declared Endangered (Image: Canva)

The rocky coastlines of Chile, once filled with the chatter of Humboldt penguins, are growing quieter. Scientists say the nation’s most famous seabird is now facing its toughest challenge yet — survival.

What led to the Humboldt penguin’s endangered status?
Chile’s Environment Ministry recently reclassified the Humboldt penguin as “endangered”, alarming conservationists who have tracked its steady decline for decades. Once numbering around 45,000 in the late 1990s, the population has now dropped to fewer than 20,000, according to researchers at the Universidad de Concepción. Nearly 80% of the world’s remaining Humboldt penguins live along Chile’s Pacific coast, making the country their final refuge.

International bodies have long listed the species as vulnerable and banned its commercial trade. But Chilean scientists say the situation has worsened, demanding stronger local measures. “The series of threats facing penguins today has not diminished,” said Guillermo Cubillos, a marine biologist at Chile’s National Zoo, speaking to Reuters. “If these threats persist, the species could soon move from endangered to critically endangered — and then disappear for good.”

What is driving the decline of Humboldt penguins?
Experts point to multiple overlapping threats. Overfishing has sharply reduced anchovy and sardine stocks — key food sources for the penguins. Industrial fishing vessels and small-scale operations both compete with wildlife for marine resources. Pollution, habitat destruction, and recent outbreaks of avian flu have further strained populations.

“The measures that have been implemented so far are not working,” said Paulina Arce, a veterinary expert on Humboldt penguins. She warned that penguin deaths in fishing nets are rising, urging stricter fishing regulations. “It is useless to reclassify a species if it is not combined with real protection,” she said.

Can stronger laws help save the species?
Biologists argue that conservation policies must now move beyond labels and paperwork. They are also calling for legislation that would protect feeding zones, restrict fishing around nesting areas, and prevent pollution in coastal areas. Arce emphasised that coexistence with nature is possible — but only with consistent enforcement.

For now, the penguins of Chile remain a fragile symbol of the country's biodiversity, and experts fear that without urgent action, their haunting calls may fade forever from the cliffs that once echoed with life.