Humboldt Penguins Face Extinction Due to Climate Crisis

The Humboldt penguin, Peru's sole penguin species, has experienced a devastating population drop of two-thirds between 2022 and 2025. This decline was initially driven by the H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in 2022 and the subsequent El Niño event in 2023. Scientists are now observing the impacts of a "super El Niño" in 2026, which is warming coastal waters and pushing essential prey fish like anchoveta further offshore.

This scarcity of food forces adult penguins to undertake longer fishing expeditions, resulting in nest abandonment and chick starvation. In June 2026, the UN Secretary-General warned of the intensifying El Niño and its global implications. Researchers at Punta San Juan de Marcona National Reserve have recorded a halving of penguin nests between April and May 2026, a critical breeding period for the species.

Scientific studies indicate that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of El Niño events. In response to these dire circumstances, scientists are advocating for the Humboldt penguin's conservation status to be elevated from endangered to critically endangered, a measure previously approved by decree in 2021 but awaiting final presidential approval. Chile and Peru are also urging the IUCN Red List to update the classification from vulnerable to endangered.