Coquimbo, Landau, November 21, 2025. Since August, injured animals have been cared for at the marine animal rescue center in Coquimbo, northern Chile. The center is jointly run by the NGO Conservación Humboldt, the Universidad Católica del Norte-UCN (1), Sernapesca (2), and Sphenisco. The project is funded by Frankfurt Zoo, Halle Mountain Zoo, and Dresden Zoo. (See article “Renovation ... completed” from August 8).
Tomás Pino D., president of Conservación Humboldt, reported: "Yesterday (November 19), three Magellanic penguins were released into the wild, the first animals we took in at the renovated station. Each of these penguins was continuously cared for by our keepers and veterinarians and successfully completed its rehabilitation. The return of the penguins to the sea is a symbolic and very significant event for our organization, as it marks the beginning of our renewed commitment.
This success is the result of the joint commitment and dedication of all individuals and institutions involved. It also confirms the importance of further strengthening our technical and operational capacities. We sincerely thank Sphenisco for its ongoing support. It has enabled us to advance this work responsibly and with confidence. ..."
The rescue station is scheduled to officially open on December 5 in the presence of authorities, scientists, civil society groups, and students from the community of La Higuera.
W. K.
notes
For better readability, the generic masculine form is used in this article. Unless otherwise indicated, the terms used in this article refer to all genders.
(1) Universidad Católica del Norte-UCN - Catholic University of the North in Coquimbo, northern Chile
(2) Sernapesca. Servicio Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura - National Service for Fisheries and Aquaculture
translated by Claudia Fawer