The Galapagos Penguin is the only penguin species found north of the equator and in the Galápagos with a population of less than 2,000. Six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador lie the volcanic islands of the Galápagos, famous for a wealth of unique plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. The Galápagos Islands were the source of Darwin’s theory of evolution and remain a priceless living laboratory for scientists today.
In 1998, the Ecuadorian government enacted the Galápagos Special Law, a legal framework to protect the Galápagos, and created the Galápagos Marine Reserve.
Penguins are threatened by pollution, bycatch and climate change. Introduced species, such as dogs, carry diseases that can spread to penguins as well and cats pose a threat as predators. Past strong El Niño events have caused mortalities of up to 77 percent, with dramatic declines of prey species and reduced breeding success.
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