EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Galapagos Penguin on the Rocks

Galapagos Penguin (Sphensicus mendiculus), Family Spheniscidae
Isabela Island, Galapagos, Ecuador

Explanation:  Hauled out on steep rocky cliffs on an offshore stack, safe from marine predators, is this hearty Galapagos Penguin.  

This is one unique bird, being one of the smallest penguin species, the only penguin found in the northern hemisphere, the only penguin living near the equator, and the only penguin to breed entirely within the tropics! 

Galapagos Penguins breed throughout the year when their small fish food resources are available, nesting in small crevices in rocky stacks close to shore.  

They form small colonies, and are the only penguin found in the Galapagos Archipelago.

When on shore on the main islands, they become vulnerable to attack by introduced dogs, cats, and rats.  IUCN lists it as Endangered, with a decreasing population, currently numbering only about 1,200 mature individuals.  A multitude of threats have been cited to the population, including pollution, recreational activities, hunting, trapping, fishing, non-native species predation, diseases, and temperature and storm extremes.  

But did you know that there is a Global Penguin Society dedicated solely to conservation of the world's 18 species of penguins?  And Penguins International, also dedicated to penguin conservation?  And Galapagos Conservation Trust, aiming to protect and restore the biodiversity of the archipelago?  And many other wildlife conservation organizations and institutions providing guidance and leadership on conservation actions for this and many other imperiled species of our planet.
  

Information:
    Fitter, J., D. Fitter, and D. Hosking. 2007. Wildlife of Galápagos. HarperCollins Publisher, London. 256 pp.