La Serena, October 18, 2025. The Humboldt penguin played an important role in the Chilean pavilion at Expo 2025. Chile was represented at the Expo by its mascot, “Chiri-Chan.” The character was a good representation of the penguin species typical of the Humboldt Current. (2)

Landau, October 11, 2025. On October 3, the Yerba Buena InfoPoint was opened (see “InfoPoint ... Opening on October 9”). With this information point, the Yerba Buena Group aims to contribute to environmental education and protect the Humboldt Archipelago with its coastal fauna and flora. The information center was established by the Osorio family and the Yerba Buena Group with the support of Sphenisco Chile, the Frankfurt Zoo, and the municipality of La Higuera. The 2.5-meter-tall Pilpilén sculptures (1) encourage visitors to stop and learn about the Humboldt Archipelago and the ecosystem in Yerba Buena. (2)

Landau, October 9, 2025. As planned, the Yerba Buena Group has established the “Humboldt Archipelago” InfoPoint on the road to Chungungo (municipality of La Higuera). Its landmarks are 2.5-meter-tall pilpilén (1) sculptures that “force” passers-by to stop and invite them to read the information and take a seat to enjoy the special landscape. The municipality of La Higuera is proud of the information point about local natural treasures and invited citizens and political leaders to the inauguration on October 3, 2025. Sphenisco Chile published the following report on the opening on its website (2). For the texts of the information boards "The Humboldt Archipelago“ and ”Predominant Ecosystem in Yerba Buena,“ see the article ”InfoPoint Yerba Buena – Info Information."

Landau, October 3, 2025

C H I L E

+++ Scientists call for rejection of “Dominga” +++
Scientists from Chile and around the world conducting research in the Humboldt Archipelago have issued a statement urging the Chilean authorities to reject the “Dominga” mining and port project once and for all. The newspaper El Mostrador (1) reported on the statement on August 4, 2025 (see article “Scientists call for rejection ...” dated Septemb 2025 (see article “Scientists call for rejection ...” from September 18, 2025).

Landau, 18 September 2025.
The newspaper El Mostrador (1) published a statement by scientists from Chile and around the world on August 4, 2025, urging the authorities to definitively reject the Dominga mining and port project.

Landau, 12 September 2025. The artist Jacklyn Gratzfeld (1) invites you to the exhibition "eARTh – 20 Years of Art and Nature Conservation Journeys through Four Continents" in the district hall of the Südliche Weinstraße. Around 30 works from the last two decades will be on display, including "Skylight oil paintings, Dance With Nature acrylic paintings, bird and animal portraits in chalk and animal etchings". The works provide insight into the artist's art and nature conservation journeys through Asia, the USA, Africa and the Palatinate region in Germany.

7th of August 2025

C H I L E

+++Research Population, breeding success and foraging+++

In May and June, Dr Alejandro Simeone's team once again studied the population and foraging behaviour on several Chilean breeding islands. Thomas Mattern (University of Otago, New Zealand) led the foraging studies and reported on 15th of June: "After a few intense weeks, I have now returned to New Zealand from Chile. The first week and a half of my stay was difficult due to the weather, but in the following three weeks, the work picked up speed. ... Here is a brief summary:

Landau, 1st of June
C H I L E

+++Population of Humboldt penguins+++
The last three breeding seasons have been cancelled due to a lack of food. El Niño and bird flu have reduced the Humboldt penguin population (see article ‘El Niño and ...’ from 25th of February 2025). It is only unclear how great the losses are. On 26th of May, researchers led by Dr Alexandro Simeone began to count breeding pairs again on the island of Pan de Azucar (1). Further counts are planned for June on the islands of Grande de Atacama, Ramada and Chañaral. In addition, GPS loggers and video cameras will again be used to investigate foraging behaviour on the islands of Choros and Chachagua, where breeding pairs will also be counted. Further counts are to be carried out on other important Chilean gross islands in October and November. The six-year research project is being funded by the Species Conservation Foundation of Karlsruhe Zoo, Dresden Zoo and the Hagenbeck Zoo Friends' Association. 

Landau, 7th of April 2025

C H I L E

+++Sphenisco Chile+++
Sphenisco Chile is focusing its work this year on citizen participation in the design of the Humboldt Archipelago Marine Protected Area. Nancy Duman's team will hold audiences with all the new regional and municipal authorities in the municipalities of La Higuera, Coquimbo, Freirina, La Serena, as well as the governors and environmental advisors in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo. During the talks, the employees will advocate for the protection of the archipelago and its sustainable use. In addition to ongoing advocacy, the team plans to repeat the successful literary competition “the Humboldt Archipelago in 110 words” and continue the Sintonía Humboldt video podcast. The following projects are also to be realized:
- “Humboldt Penguins in the Neighborhood” (murals in villages),
- Humboldt Archipelago” traveling photo exhibition in the communities of La Higuera and Coquimbo,
- Organization of natural history hikes,
- the establishment of information points in the village of Chungungo and near Yerba buena.