H U M B O L D T P E N G U I N S
The Humboldt penguin is often called the Peruvian penguin, although they are also found in Chile. It is found on the rugged coast and offshore islands of Chile and Peru. The name Humboldt came from the early European explorer that first saw these animals. | 
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| These penguins stand about 24 inches(60 centimeters) and weighs 6 1/2 to 11 pounds (3 to 5 kilograms). Humboldt penguins have a thick black upside down horseshoe shape on their belly. They look like the African penguin, but are shorter with longer flippers. |
Their nests are very well dug burrows in the ground. The female lays two eggs and if there is plenty of food both chicks will survive. The life cycle of this penguin has not been closely observed. Not much information is know about their breeding habits. | 
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| Humboldt penguins had lived undisturbed in their habitat for thousands of years. Within the last 100 years their droppings have been used as fertilizer. These droppings are called "guano". Mining the guano has caused serious damage to their habitats. Today the Humboldt penguin is endangered. There are as few as 10,000 birds in the wild today. |
