Punta San Juan’s Humboldt penguin colony fell below 500 birds by 2025

Science News reports that Punta San Juan had about 3,000 Humboldt penguins in 2012 but fewer than 500 by 2025. Avian flu and El Niño hit the reserve, with warmer waters pushing anchovy, the penguins’ main food, deeper and farther out to sea. Industrial fishing adds pressure. As a possible “super” El Niño threatens the area, researchers are seeking stricter fishing quotas and preparing for the birds’ return.