Humboldt Penguin

penguin · South America · vulnerable · ocean

Lives on two coasts. Humboldt penguins make their home along the Pacific Ocean coastlines of Peru and Chile in South America. They've adapted perfectly to the chilly waters and rocky shores of this region.

Named after an explorer. Both this penguin species and the cold ocean current it swims in are named after Alexander von Humboldt, a famous explorer who traveled South America and studied its nature.

Close penguin cousins. The Humboldt penguin's nearest relatives are the African penguin, the Magellanic penguin, and the Galápagos penguin. These four species are like a penguin family spread across the Southern Hemisphere.

Endangered and declining. This penguin is listed as vulnerable, which means it's in trouble. The wild population has only about 23,800 mature individuals left and continues to get smaller, with no official plan yet to help it recover.

Travels far distances. Humboldt penguins are migrants, meaning they travel between different places rather than staying in one home all year long.