Chile’s Humboldt penguins face sharp decline, scientists warn
Chilean scientists are sounding the alarm over the rapid decline of Humboldt penguins, warning the endangered species could soon reach critical levels if threats persist.
Chile’s Pacific coastline shelters around 80% of the world’s remaining Humboldt penguins, but researchers from the Universidad de Concepción estimate their population has fallen to under 20,000, down from about 45,000 in the late 1990s, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The Environment Ministry recently reclassified the seabird as “endangered”, citing multiple pressures including overfishing, pollution, habitat loss, bird flu, and the impacts of climate change.
“If these threats persist, this species could move from endangered to critically endangered — and extinction may follow,” said Guillermo Cubillos, a marine biologist at Chile’s national zoo.
Veterinary expert Paulina Arce called for tougher laws on sustainable fishing, saying that current measures “are not working.”
“It’s useless to reclassify a species if it’s not paired with real protection measures,” Arce added.
Scientists stress that legislation and conservation efforts are crucial to ensure that penguins — and people — can continue to coexist along Chile’s coast.
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