El Ciudadano
Original article: Últimas horas para firmar: campaña busca reactivar decreto retirado por Kast para proteger al pingüino de Humboldt
Time is running out. The citizen campaign “It’s More Than a Penguin” is open until April 25, seeking signatures to support the revival of the decree withdrawn by José Antonio Kast’s administration and to enhance the protection of the Humboldt penguin as a Natural Monument.
This is not just a symbolic gesture or another online petition. Behind this campaign lies a serious scientific alert. In the open letter accompanying the initiative, the scientific community warned that “The latest scientific evidence is robust and conclusive,” detailing that the most recent census in 2025 recorded “fewer than 2,000 breeding pairs,” alongside a “reduction of over 60% in the last 5 years” in colonies in the central-northern region of the country.
To put it simply: there are fewer penguins, their breeding rates are declining, and threats have not diminished. Therefore, when the letter states that “advancing and strengthening protective measures is not optional, but urgent,” it is not elevating its tone for dramatic effect. It is describing a species that has entered a delicate zone and now cannot afford to waste more time.
Signing for the Humboldt Penguin: What’s Really at Stake
One of the hardest points to convey in these discussions is that protecting the Humboldt penguin is not just about safeguarding a beautiful or iconic bird. What’s at stake is much larger.
The letter itself reminds us that it is “a key bioindicator of the health status of the marine ecosystem of the Humboldt current.” In simple terms, the status of this species helps us understand how the ocean is functioning. If the penguin is declining, it does not just signify a problem for itself; it may also indicate broader ecosystem deterioration.
That’s why the campaign emphasizes a simple but powerful idea: “Every penguin counts, every signature counts”. This phrase aims to ground something that often gets lost amid decrees and bureaucracy: when a species declines in this way, it also disturbs the ocean’s balances, marine biodiversity, and ultimately, human activities reliant on that environment, such as artisanal fishing or coastal tourism.
Signing for the Humboldt Penguin: Why Reactivating the Decree Matters
Key Points of the Alert for the Humboldt Penguin
The scientific community has warned that the species faces a critical scenario and has called for the reactivation of the decree withdrawn by José Antonio Kast’s government.
- Currently classified as Endangered.
- The latest census recorded fewer than 2,000 breeding pairs.
- Colonies in the central-northern region have dropped by over 60% in 5 years.
- The citizen campaign “It’s More Than a Penguin” is collecting signatures until April 25.
In simple terms: protecting the Humboldt penguin is not just about caring for a species; it’s about safeguarding the balance of the marine ecosystem that supports it.
The heart of this campaign is focused on a specific point: reactivating the decree that sought to declare the Humboldt penguin as a Natural Monument.
This is not just a decorative detail or a nice label for a threatened species. This designation is essential for strengthening its protection and elevating the level of security over its habitat. In practice, it means having more tools to defend the species against pressures on the places where it lives, feeds, and reproduces.
When that decree was withdrawn in 2026, it was not a minor procedure that was halted. It paused a conservation tool. And therein lies one of the key aspects of this moment: the campaign seeks to transform a scientific alert into public support, so that protection does not remain suspended while the species continues to decline.
Put in the simplest terms, the point is this:
if the species is in trouble, removing protection tools does not help;
if the species is in trouble, strengthening its protection becomes more necessary.
A Critical Scenario Amid Multiple Threats
The decline of the Humboldt penguin is not due to a single cause. This is another important point to grasp why the urgency is real.
According to the letter, various factors are weighing on the species: avian influenza, El Niño phenomenon, lower prey availability, bycatch in fishing nets, pollution, and habitat disturbances from human pressures.
In simple Spanish: it’s not one blow, but several happening simultaneously. And when a species faces multiple threats at once, any delay in protection can be more costly. Thus, the discussion isn’t whether the issue deserves attention, but how quickly action is taken.
Until April 25: The Campaign Aims to Transform Alert into Citizen Support
Unlike other environmental discussions that get caught up in reports and offices, here is a concrete action that citizens can still take. The campaign “It’s More Than a Penguin” continues the signature collection until April 25, aiming to support the scientific community’s call and push for the reactivation of the decree.
The rationale behind this is also easy to understand. Science has already provided the evidence. Now, the goal is for that evidence to have public backing. Not to replace public policy, but to promote it.
Therefore, the close of the letter precisely targets the articulation between knowledge, state decision-making, and social participation. “The challenge is clear: align science, public policy, and citizen commitment to ensure the protection of this iconic species of the ecosystem it represents,” state its authors.
And therein lies the essence of this final call. Signing will not alone resolve the Humboldt penguin’s conservation crisis. However, it can become a concrete signal of support for the revival of a protective tool. As time shortens and the species remains under pressure, waiting is rarely neutral. It almost always works against.
La entrada Final Hours to Sign: Campaign Aims to Reactivate Kast’s Withdrawn Decree for Humboldt Penguin Protection se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.
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