Humboldt Penguins

 
• welcome
    
• conservation
    
• fun facts
    
• photos & video

Habitat

Humboldt penguins live on the west coast of South America, in a region stretching from Peru’s Isla Foca all the way down to Algarrobo in Chile. The land is rocky, hot and very, very dry — it’s a desert. But even though the land is hot and dry, the water nearby is very cold.

Humboldt penguins, like a lot of other marine life, rely on the Humboldt Current to thrive. It’s a cold ocean current that flows northwest along the west coast of South America. The current is very important because it holds so much sea life. Without it, there would be no fish for the penguins to eat. The current was named for Prussian naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt, and the penguin was named after the current.

One of the most interesting things about the penguins’ habitat is that it’s full of poop! Other birds and creatures leave their droppings, called guano, in the desert area where the penguins live. Since there is no rain to wash the guano away, it builds up and penguins are able to burrow inside to make nests and lay eggs. It sure gives new meaning to the words, “Clean your room.”