Humboldt Penguin Declared a Natural Monument to Enhance Protection Amidst Endangerment

Original article: Pingüino de Humboldt en estado crítico: Fue declarado Monumento Natural para aumentar protección

Humboldt Penguin Declared a Natural Monument to Address Extinction

The Council of Ministers for Sustainability and Climate Change, led by interim Environment Minister Maximiliano Proaño, has officially designated the Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) as a Natural Monument species. This protective status, announced by the Ministry of Environment, will safeguard this iconic bird throughout Chilean territory, both in terrestrial and marine environments, whether located within or outside protected areas.

The declaration process reached a historic milestone in public participation, gathering approximately 9,000 comments during the public consultation. «This decision marks a significant advancement in the protection of this endemic and emblematic species, which is now classified as endangered. This declaration will provide additional resources to conserve the Humboldt Penguin,» emphasized Minister Proaño following the session.

The new regulations, backed by extensive technical and scientific support, explicitly prohibit threatening, capturing, extracting, mistreating, injuring, or killing this species. Exceptions will only be made for authorized scientific research purposes or government inspections, thereby establishing a robust legal framework for its survival.

Red Alert: A Species on the Brink of Extinction

The designation as a Natural Monument addresses an alarming reality. In October 2025, the last Classification Process of Species by the Ministry of Environment reclassified the Humboldt Penguin from «Vulnerable» to «Endangered,» reflecting the critical conservation status of this bird, which concentrates over 80% of its global population in the Humboldt Archipelago, known as the «Chilean Galapagos.»