Landau, 10 August 2025. Since 2021, a team of researchers led by Dr. Alejandro Simeone (1) has been conducting investigations on the population, breeding success and foraging of the Humboldt penguin in Chile on behalf of Sphenisco. The project is funded by the Karlsruhe Zoo Conservation Foundation, Dresden Zoo and the Hagenbeck Zoo Association. On these pages, the multi-year project was repeatedly reported. (2)

Landau, August 9, 2025. Since 2009, environmentalists and scientists have been demanding an effective protection of the Humboldt Archipelago in northern Chile. For just as long, the communities of La Higuera and Freirina have been proposing a protected area based on scientific and expert opinions. The proposal was also supported by the regional governments of Coquimbo and Atacama. Three presidents—Bachelet, Piñera, and Boric—have approved the Área de Conservación de Múltiples Usos - ACMU (1). In the last, unanimous decision of the Council of Ministers in August 2023, the technical opinions also took into account the bi-regional nature of the area, which is located in the Coquimbo and Atacama regions. The declaration of the protected area was prepared with workshops and citizen surveys in the municipalities of La Higuera and Freirina.

Landau, August 8, 2025. In May of this year, the Universidad Católica del Norte-UCN (1), Sernapesca (2) in the Coquimbo region, Sphenisco, and the NGO Conservación Humboldt decided to renovate the marine animal rescue center on the university grounds and operate it jointly. Sphenisco committed to covering the costs of the renovation and operation for one year. The project is supported by Frankfurt Zoo, Halle Mountain Zoo, and Dresden Zoo.

Landau, 6th of August 2025. On 5th of August 2025, the photo exhibition ‘Explorando el Archipiélago (Exploring the Humboldt Archipelago)’ opened in La Serena. The exhibition was sponsored by Rostock Zoo. The Sphenisco Chile Foundation sent out a press release for the opening entitled ‘La Serena da inicio a exposición itinerante sobre el Archipiélago de Humboldt’ (1), which was translated using deepl:

Landau June 14, 2025. The care of injured and sick wild animals is also a problem in Chile. There is neither a sustainable infrastructure nor financial regulations for their rehabilitation. Sernapesca, the state fisheries authority, is responsible for the recovery of injured and sick marine animals, but not for their care. There used to be a rescue center for marine animals at the “Museum of Natural History and History” in San Antonio, Central Region. José Brito and their staff did good and dedicated work there for many years. Sphenisco has repeatedly supported this work, for example by purchasing medicines. Some time ago, this station was closed. The reasons are not known to Sphenisco.

La Serena, Landau, May 27, 2025: At the end of last year, the Chilean government declared the Humboldt Archipelago an “Área de Conservación de Múltiples Usos - AC-MU (2). The marine and coastal protection zone covers around 574,873 hectares and is located off the coast of the municipality of Freirina, Atacama region, and the municipalities of La Higuera and La Serena, Coquimbo region. The declaration of the protected zone aims to protect a marine ecosystem in central Chile with its biodiversity, habitats, ecological processes and ecosystem services. The declaration defines not only rare marine animals and islands as worthy of protection, but also the characteristic marine upwelling systems and artisanal fishing. However, the decree also stipulates that the marine protected area and the management plan should not have any impact on freedom of navigation and anchorages, insofar as these affect international obligations that Chile has entered into. The AC-MU (2) is under the supervision of the Ministry of the Environment. All activities carried out in the future must be compatible with the conservation objectives of the area and comply with the provisions of the respective management plan.

La Higuera, Landau 8th of May 2025. The Estancia Yerba Buena in the municipality of La Higuera has a rich flora and fauna. Around 88 bird species (1) are regularly observed. There is lucumillo (Myrcianthes coquimbensis) (2), an evergreen shrub that grows exclusively in the province of Elqui, Coquimbo and whose population is unfortunately endangered. The estancia is 4.5 square kilometres (450 hectares) in size and is located on the road from Caleta Hornos to Totoralillo and Chungungo. The owners, all members of one family, have decided to protect their property and use their land for ecotourism. 

Landau February 24, 2025

Preliminary Remarks
Since 2021, a research team led by Dr. Alejandro Simeone (1) has been conducting studies on the population, breeding success and foraging of Humboldt penguins in Chile on behalf of Sphenisco. The research project is funded by the species conservation foundation Zoo Karlsruhe, Dresden Zoo and the Verein der Freunde des Tierparks Hagenbeck e.V. (see “Projects Chile” June 4, 2021, November 28, 2021, April 18, 2022, July 22, 2022, July 23, 2023, January 1, 2023, July 9, 2023 and November 23, 2023 on these pages).

Landau, 29th of January 2025.

Preliminary remark
Since 2021, researchers led by Dr Alejandro Simeone (1) have been conducting studies on the population, breeding success and foraging in Chile on behalf of Sphenisco. The studies are funded by the Species Conservation Foundation Zoo Karlsruhe, Dresden Zoo and the Association of Friends of Hagenbeck Zoo (see ‘Chile projects’ 4th of June 2021, 28th of November 2021, 18th of April 2022, 22nd of July 2022, 23rd of July 2023, 1st of January 2023, 9th of July 2023 and 23rd of November 2023 on these pages). After investigating foraging behaviour in the Choros Island area in 2022, the researchers investigated foraging behaviour in the Chachagua Island area in November and December 2024 and summarised the results as follows.