Chile's Humboldt penguins could face extinction, experts warn

Bangkok Post Group

The Humboldt penguin population has dramatically decreased in areas along the central coast of Chile, making them one of the most vulnerable of the world's 18 penguin species and putting them at risk of extinction, experts warn. - REUTERS

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00:00Experts are warning a penguin population along Chile's central coast is on the path to extinction

00:07after a survey found a dramatic decrease in numbers.

00:12A survey of two islands in the area last year detected 842 Humboldt penguin breeding pairs

00:18or active nests.

00:20This year, they found just one breeding pair.

00:24Veterinarian Paulina Arce specializes in penguins.

00:28She says island surveys over the past decades have either shown a decrease or the same level

00:34of penguin and nest populations.

00:37None has seen an increase.

00:40Therefore, we believe that this decreasing trend will continue and can reach a more drastic

00:46scenario which would be the extinction of this species.

00:50Javier Meza is the head of biodiversity conservation at the National Forestry Office, CUNEF.

00:56She says a quote, perfect storm of threats has wreaked havoc on penguin populations and

01:02other wildlife.

01:06There was the avian flu plus the El Niño phenomenon that shifted all the food towards

01:11the southern zone.

01:13And therefore, in the entire northern Chile, reproduction dropped to almost zero levels.

01:18And on top of that, many penguins died due to these two causes, bird flu plus the El

01:23Niño phenomenon.

01:25Anthropic causes like sea pollution and habitat destruction or disturbance are also among

01:31the penguins' main threats, says president of the Safari Conservation Foundation, Diego

01:36Penaloza.

01:38Looking at an x-ray, he sees a hook inside a penguin's throat and a fishing line inside

01:45this penguin's mouth.

01:48In this case, it was a hook, he says.

01:51Tomorrow, it may be plastic that kills a species.

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