WEBVTT 00:09.209 --> 00:16.916 align:left position:80% line:83% size:10% Peru s arid coastline is home to one of the world s great natural spectacles. 00:17.017 --> 00:22.255 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% In Punta San Juan, where the desert meets the sea, the seabirds reign. 00:22.355 --> 00:28.862 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% These are like some of the largest aggregations of seabirds in the world. 00:28.962 --> 00:34.434 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% And they aren t alone thousands of South American sea lions and fur seals add to the 00:34.534 --> 00:41.007 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% impressive cacophony of sounds. 00:41.107 --> 00:48.948 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% You can find so many numbers of animals in a small place. 00:49.049 --> 00:50.817 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% It's so unique. 00:50.917 --> 00:57.757 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% It is amidst this explosion of life - these hundreds of thousands of guanay cormorants, 00:57.857 --> 01:05.265 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Peruvian pelicans and Peruvian boobies, that another, slightly clumsier, species of bird 01:05.365 --> 01:08.268 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5% lives as well. 01:08.368 --> 01:13.006 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Punta San Juan is the most important breeding colony for Humboldt penguins in Peru. 01:13.106 --> 01:18.311 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% We can have 2000 breeding pairs reproducing at the same time. 01:18.411 --> 01:21.748 align:left position:80% line:89% size:10% Humboldt penguins are very charismatic. 01:21.848 --> 01:28.988 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% The reason why Humboldt penguins are living so far north near the tropics is because they 01:29.089 --> 01:33.493 align:left position:80% line:89% size:10% live in an environment with cold water. 01:33.593 --> 01:39.799 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% These flightless birds may look adorably goofy on land, but they are highly adapted for life 01:39.899 --> 01:41.634 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% at sea. 01:41.734 --> 01:49.109 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% They are like torpedo-shaped seabirds It's like they fly underwater and they can reach 01:49.209 --> 01:55.482 align:left position:70% line:89% size:20% high speeds, they are very, very fast swimmers. 01:55.582 --> 01:58.885 align:left position:80% line:89% size:10% What is life like for a desert penguin? 01:58.985 --> 02:27.514 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% And what challenges do these animals face in today s ever-changing world? 02:27.614 --> 02:33.119 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Major funding for this program was provided by the Batchelor Foundation, encouraging people 02:33.219 --> 02:42.162 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% to preserve and protect America s underwater resources and by the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, 02:42.262 --> 02:46.332 align:left position:67.5% line:89% size:22.5% strengthening America s future through education. 02:46.432 --> 02:52.906 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Additional funding was provided by The William J. and Tina Rosenberg Foundation and by the 02:53.006 --> 03:01.714 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5% Do Unto Others Trust. 03:01.814 --> 03:05.251 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% This is an avian domain. 03:05.351 --> 03:11.524 align:left position:80% line:83% size:10% Located in Peru s southern Ica province, Punta San Juan is part of the Peruvian government s 03:11.624 --> 03:16.496 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% national reserve network of 33 islands and peninsulas. 03:16.596 --> 03:22.869 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% This reserve s objective is protecting seabirds and marine mammals. 03:22.969 --> 03:27.440 align:left position:80% line:89% size:10% Especially seabirds that produce guano. 03:27.540 --> 03:30.210 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Initially this all started just for the guano birds. 03:30.310 --> 03:34.447 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% To have more guano and be able to export and sell this commodity. 03:34.547 --> 03:40.420 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% This was a very important economic activity in Peru in the past. 03:40.520 --> 03:45.124 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% After a while we also started taking into consideration other species. 03:45.225 --> 03:56.269 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% So there were laws to avoid, for instance, hunting penguins and protecting fur seals, 03:56.369 --> 03:59.806 align:left position:37.5% line:89% size:52.5% sea lions. 03:59.906 --> 04:05.178 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Guano - the poop produced in large quantities by guano birds like guanay cormorants and 04:05.278 --> 04:12.218 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Peruvian pelicans and boobies, is harvested commercially for use as fertilizer. 04:12.318 --> 04:17.924 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Peru is the largest guano producer in the world, and its guano reserves are co-managed 04:18.024 --> 04:24.097 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% by two government agencies the Agriculture Ministry s AGRORURAL which monitors the 04:24.197 --> 04:30.637 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% guano birds and oversees the harvest process, and the Environmental Ministry s SERNANP, 04:30.737 --> 04:37.010 align:left position:75% line:89% size:15% which is in charge of managing the reserves. 04:37.110 --> 04:44.450 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% At Punta San Juan, these two agencies work in partnership with scientists from the Punta 04:44.550 --> 04:50.590 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% San Juan Program, a long-term monitoring and field research project. 04:50.690 --> 04:58.031 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Around the 80s, Dr. Patricia Majluf started researching fur seal ecology and population 04:58.131 --> 05:02.168 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% dynamics here at Punta San Juan. 05:02.268 --> 05:13.513 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Later, researchers came not only to study fur seals, but also penguins. 05:13.613 --> 05:18.484 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Field coordinator Marco Carde a is passionate about the Humboldt penguins. 05:18.584 --> 05:24.324 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% He s been monitoring the local colony since 2001. 05:24.424 --> 05:30.963 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% We do weekly counts to see how the population is doing over the years, and then we can make 05:31.064 --> 05:37.503 align:left position:77.5% line:89% size:12.5% annual, seasonal and overall comparisons. 05:37.603 --> 05:43.509 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% The cold Humboldt current is what makes this region one of the most productive marine ecosystems 05:43.609 --> 05:47.914 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5% in the world. 05:48.014 --> 05:53.219 align:left position:80% line:83% size:10% As trade winds push the Pacific ocean s upper layer of water offshore, it s replaced 05:53.319 --> 05:58.791 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% with colder, nutrient-rich waters that well up from the deep. 05:58.891 --> 06:04.130 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% These nutrients fuel plankton growth near the surface, which forms the base of this 06:04.230 --> 06:09.235 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5% vibrant marine food chain. 06:09.335 --> 06:19.412 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Punta San Juan is special because it's close to the core upwelling system of the Humboldt 06:19.512 --> 06:23.583 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% current. 06:23.683 --> 06:28.388 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% The distance from the coast to where food is available is fairly short. 06:28.488 --> 06:36.362 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% This allows the animals to return for mating and breeding. 06:36.462 --> 06:43.302 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% At Punta San Juan, Humboldt penguins have two breeding periods each year. 06:43.403 --> 06:48.908 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% One starts in April going until July, and the other one goes from August or September 06:49.008 --> 06:50.576 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% until December. 06:50.676 --> 06:55.381 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% At Punta San Juan Humboldt penguins breed in three different types of nests. 06:55.481 --> 07:03.289 align:left position:67.5% line:83% size:22.5% The first ones are on the edge of these clifftops, in areas where there is a lot of guano. 07:03.389 --> 07:07.260 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% The other type of nest they use is what we call a burrow. 07:07.360 --> 07:10.797 align:left position:80% line:89% size:10% They are like holes with tunnels inside. 07:10.897 --> 07:20.873 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% And finally, we have a nest that appear between rocks and boulders on crevices. 07:20.973 --> 07:26.646 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% Given the penguin s skittish nature, scientists monitor the superficial nests from a safe 07:26.746 --> 07:27.847 align:left position:37.5% line:89% size:52.5% distance. 07:27.947 --> 07:30.249 align:left position:75% line:89% size:15% Humboldt penguins are very scared of humans. 07:30.349 --> 07:36.122 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% And if a researcher approached these nests, it will create a chaos and a lot of these 07:36.222 --> 07:41.894 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% nests will be lost because if they leave the nest content without protection, seagulls, 07:41.994 --> 07:45.965 align:left position:82.5% line:89% size:7.5% turkey vultures will predate on them. 07:46.065 --> 07:49.669 align:left position:77.5% line:89% size:12.5% We monitor them with help of a telescope. 07:49.769 --> 07:54.006 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% We count the nests, we count the number of pairs breeding there, the number of adults, 07:54.106 --> 08:01.080 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% the number of chicks and this help us understand their breeding cycle and also their population 08:01.180 --> 08:03.282 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% trends. 08:03.382 --> 08:09.589 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Humboldt penguins tend to be monogamous, and after mating the female lays two eggs, roughly 08:09.689 --> 08:13.793 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% four days apart. 08:13.893 --> 08:16.929 align:left position:72.5% line:89% size:17.5% These two eggs are cared for by both parents. 08:17.029 --> 08:23.069 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% They take turns staying with the eggs during the 40 day incubation period. 08:23.169 --> 08:42.188 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Once the eggs hatch, both parents take turns feeding the chicks over a 72 to 75 day period. 08:42.288 --> 08:48.227 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% To find food, groups of penguins leave their nests each morning to make the long journey 08:48.327 --> 08:54.400 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% across the barren desert and down steep cliffs to reach the sea. 08:54.500 --> 09:06.245 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Along the way, the hesitant birds frequently stop to contemplate their next move, or get 09:06.345 --> 09:09.181 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% scared and turn around. 09:09.282 --> 09:28.935 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% And sometimes, aggressive and raucous neighbors block the path. 09:29.035 --> 09:37.410 align:left position:80% line:83% size:10% Once the penguins reach the water, it s time for a bath. 09:37.510 --> 09:43.149 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% The birds need to preen and streamline their feathers to insure proper insulation before 09:43.249 --> 09:48.454 align:left position:80% line:89% size:10% venturing out to feed in the cold water. 09:48.554 --> 09:56.062 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Meanwhile, the nesting colony is a loud and busy place. 09:56.162 --> 10:01.233 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Patient parents guard their nests and chicks while they wait for their mates to return 10:01.334 --> 10:03.803 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5% from the sea. 10:03.903 --> 10:10.843 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% The daily reunion is a happy occasion marked with an elaborate ritual. 10:10.943 --> 10:19.885 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Soon, the hungry chicks will start begging for food, which the returning parent regurgitates 10:19.986 --> 10:28.060 align:left position:37.5% line:89% size:52.5% for them. 10:28.160 --> 10:32.064 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% Eventually the parents stop feeding the chicks, so the chicks can leave the nest with their 10:32.164 --> 10:47.346 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% parents, or with other adults, to venture on their first trip out to 10:47.446 --> 10:49.215 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% the sea. 10:49.315 --> 10:53.119 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% To gather more in-depth information about breeding penguins, experts visit certain nests 10:53.219 --> 10:58.991 align:left position:77.5% line:89% size:12.5% once a week for a more hands-on approach. 10:59.091 --> 11:02.862 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% We select nests that are better protected or covered, where the adult wouldn t be 11:02.962 --> 11:09.935 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% able to escape or abandon the eggs or the chicks. 11:10.036 --> 11:15.374 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% The scientists check on the embryonic chick development inside the eggs, and they also 11:15.474 --> 11:18.944 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75% work up parents and chicks. 11:19.045 --> 11:30.923 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% So, this is a Humboldt penguin chick, it s about four or five weeks old, and you can 11:31.023 --> 11:36.328 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% see it has a specific type of feathers that only chicks have, it s not waterproof, these 11:36.429 --> 11:37.863 align:left position:27.5% line:89% size:62.5% kinds of feathers. 11:37.963 --> 11:42.902 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% We measure their flippers, their feet and their beak. 11:43.002 --> 11:47.940 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Tape on the chicks flippers indicates which one hatched first. 11:48.040 --> 11:49.308 align:left position:87.5% line:89% size:2.5% Scientists also weigh the animals 11:49.408 --> 11:54.280 align:left position:85% line:89% size:5% This one is one kilo and 300 grams. 11:54.380 --> 12:00.052 align:left position:80% line:83% size:10% and record similar measurements of the parents, as well as check their microchips 12:00.152 --> 12:05.224 align:left position:25% line:89% size:65% for identification. 12:05.324 --> 12:09.962 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% It allows us to observe any changes in the incubation period or the chicks growth 12:10.062 --> 12:11.764 align:left position:42.5% line:89% size:47.5% rate. 12:11.864 --> 12:15.267 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% By weighing and measuring the chick we obtain information about the parents feeding. 12:15.367 --> 12:21.240 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Tagging the animals allows us to track the age of individuals, the couple s faithfulness 12:21.340 --> 12:22.575 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% as well as their breeding times. 12:22.675 --> 12:26.512 align:left position:70% line:89% size:20% The handling takes no more than 7 or 8 minutes. 12:26.612 --> 12:32.451 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% We are the only breeding colony that has such a long-term data set. 12:32.551 --> 12:39.358 align:left position:67.5% line:83% size:22.5% We have at least 18 years of information collected using the same methodologies. 12:39.458 --> 12:43.529 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% After the adults reproductive period ends in December, they undertake a very long trip 12:43.629 --> 12:49.401 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% to over-feed themselves, to prepare for the coming molt. 12:49.502 --> 12:55.574 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% The three week long molt allows the penguins to replace their worn feathers with new plumage. 12:55.674 --> 13:00.613 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% This will ensure proper insulation when they eventually return to the sea to replenish 13:00.713 --> 13:07.486 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% their fat reserves and start the breeding cycle again. 13:07.586 --> 13:11.791 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% During this molt, they stay on the beaches, which is the best time to count the penguins 13:11.891 --> 13:15.327 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75% along the entire coastline. 13:15.427 --> 13:21.834 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% In the 1850s, naturalists visiting guano islands estimated that the population ranged in the 13:21.934 --> 13:24.303 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5% hundreds of thousands. 13:24.403 --> 13:30.810 align:left position:65% line:83% size:25% Because of drastic declines and ongoing fluctuations since then, the International Union for Conservation 13:30.910 --> 13:39.318 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% of Nature currently lists Humboldt penguins as vulnerable. 13:39.418 --> 13:44.790 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Humboldt penguins aren t well studied overall, and experts say it s difficult to estimate 13:44.890 --> 13:51.130 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% the population across the penguin s entire breeding range, which runs from Foca Island 13:51.230 --> 13:56.902 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% in northern Peru to Metalqui Island in southern Chile. 13:57.002 --> 14:01.440 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% This is due in part because of the challenges that come with counting animals along the 14:01.540 --> 14:08.380 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% remote and rugged coastline, but also because of inconsistencies in counting methods between 14:08.480 --> 14:12.251 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% Peru and Chile. 14:12.351 --> 14:16.388 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% The Chileans have conducted the census while penguins were breeding, and we ve done it 14:16.488 --> 14:18.224 align:left position:17.5% line:89% size:72.5% during the molting period. 14:18.324 --> 14:24.163 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% In the future, both Chile and Peru needs to have a unique protocol for counting so we 14:24.263 --> 14:32.938 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% can compare our numbers and have a total account of Humboldt penguins in the whole range. 14:33.038 --> 14:35.040 align:left position:75% line:89% size:15% In 2015, there were 20,000 penguins in Peru. 14:35.140 --> 14:43.749 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% The number has been decreasing, and Peru s population is now down to 9,300 individuals 14:43.849 --> 14:51.090 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% in Peru, according to the latest counts from 2019. 14:51.190 --> 14:56.395 align:left position:67.5% line:83% size:22.5% Penguin population numbers are prone to fluctuate because of changes in food availability caused 14:56.495 --> 15:00.199 align:left position:27.5% line:89% size:62.5% by El Ni o events. 15:00.299 --> 15:06.572 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% During El Ni o years, the winds weaken, causing the upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich waters 15:06.672 --> 15:08.407 align:left position:37.5% line:89% size:52.5% to cease. 15:08.507 --> 15:13.646 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% The consequent warming of the ocean surface further weakens the winds and strengthens 15:13.746 --> 15:17.816 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% El Ni o. 15:17.917 --> 15:24.924 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Major prey species such as anchovy move to deeper waters and further south. 15:25.024 --> 15:32.298 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% So that means that the predators like penguins, sea lions and all the species that depend 15:32.398 --> 15:38.437 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% on the anchovies are in crisis because anchovy disappear. 15:38.537 --> 15:53.953 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% They cannot hunt them because they are either too deep or too far away. 15:54.053 --> 16:00.826 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Penguins also face many man-made threats that can negatively impact their population numbers. 16:00.926 --> 16:07.333 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Historically, guano harvesting had the biggest impact since penguins rely on guano for their 16:07.433 --> 16:10.736 align:left position:27.5% line:89% size:62.5% nesting material. 16:10.836 --> 16:14.907 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% And the guano campaigns extracted all the guano with no regards for the breeding areas 16:15.007 --> 16:18.310 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% of this species. 16:18.410 --> 16:24.016 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% The use of guano as fertilizer traces all the way back to the Incas, but it didn t 16:24.116 --> 16:30.022 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% really start taking off commercially until the 1850s, when increased demand from Europe 16:30.122 --> 16:35.327 align:left position:15% line:83% size:75% turned guano harvesting into a lucrative enterprise. 16:35.427 --> 16:42.735 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% Guano workers used to hunt or poach the penguins to be sold in the local market for food. 16:42.835 --> 16:46.638 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% And also a lot of disturbance on the penguin colony. 16:46.739 --> 16:57.016 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% So they harvested the guano where the penguins were nesting. 16:57.116 --> 17:03.389 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Starting in 2001, the Punta San Juan Program began working closely with the Peruvian government 17:03.489 --> 17:08.460 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% to make the local guano harvest there more sustainable. 17:08.560 --> 17:12.865 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% For example, they no longer harvest in an area that extends 15 to 20 meters inland from 17:12.965 --> 17:16.769 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% the cliff, so the penguins have guano for their nests. 17:16.869 --> 17:23.108 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% And in 2007 and in 2012, improvements were made by planning the harvest around the guano 17:23.208 --> 17:26.445 align:left position:77.5% line:89% size:12.5% birds and the penguins breeding seasons. 17:26.545 --> 17:32.351 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% To provide the penguins with safe passage along their daily feeding paths, visual barriers 17:32.451 --> 17:37.689 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% were placed strategically to conceal the workers from the skittish birds view. 17:37.790 --> 17:40.192 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% And that's been very successful. 17:40.292 --> 17:45.697 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% I think the conditions are getting better and programs at Punta San Juan can be used 17:45.798 --> 17:55.541 align:left position:70% line:89% size:20% as models for others sites for guano harvesting. 17:55.641 --> 18:00.913 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% In addition to humans, a number of natural predators also pose a threat to the penguins 18:01.013 --> 18:03.248 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% on land. 18:03.348 --> 18:10.222 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% In the 1940s walls were built around peninsulas like Punta San Juan to increase guano production 18:10.322 --> 18:15.561 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% by creating artificial islands where the birds could breed without disruption from people 18:15.661 --> 18:19.364 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% or other terrestrial predators. 18:19.465 --> 18:26.872 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Today these walls are starting to crumble, giving stealthy hunters a way in 18:26.972 --> 18:33.078 align:left position:80% line:83% size:10% Lately, one of the concerns we ve had is that foxes are coming in much more frequently. 18:33.178 --> 18:37.316 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% This definitely has an impact, not just on the penguins, but on the other species like 18:37.416 --> 18:39.885 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% the guano birds. 18:39.985 --> 18:43.956 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% One fox here can eat 20 penguins, 40 penguins in a year. 18:44.056 --> 18:50.629 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% And this might sound a small number, but this is not sustainable in time. 18:50.729 --> 18:56.502 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Captured foxes are relocated elsewhere, but they aren t the only predators that have 18:56.602 --> 18:58.871 align:left position:87.5% line:89% size:2.5% found their way onto the reserve 18:58.971 --> 19:08.046 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% So this area are nests of the penguins and also the Inca turns and we find the rats here. 19:08.147 --> 19:14.520 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Lyanne Ampuero works as a research assistant for the Punta San Juan Program. 19:14.620 --> 19:20.859 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% In 2014, while working on a study on Inca terns, she discovered signs of rats near the 19:20.959 --> 19:22.728 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% bird s burrows. 19:22.828 --> 19:29.801 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% I discover like forty nests with eggs and were all of them were predated. 19:29.902 --> 19:32.571 align:left position:85% line:89% size:5% What I immediately do is set traps. 19:32.671 --> 19:36.241 align:left position:77.5% line:89% size:12.5% The next morning I trap a couple of rats. 19:36.341 --> 19:40.913 align:left position:75% line:89% size:15% That was really like shocking for everybody. 19:41.013 --> 19:49.121 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% If penguins leave their nest, rats will also eat their eggs or attack chicks. 19:49.221 --> 19:55.160 align:left position:67.5% line:83% size:22.5% To eradicate the problem, Lyanne is experimenting with a variety of traps and plans to use a 19:55.260 --> 20:01.099 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% type of poison that only impacts the rats, but not the seabirds which may feed on their 20:01.200 --> 20:05.370 align:left position:37.5% line:89% size:52.5% carcasses. 20:05.470 --> 20:09.308 align:left position:80% line:83% size:10% And predators aren t the penguins only current threats. 20:09.408 --> 20:16.715 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Across their range, habitat loss, pollution and overfishing all pose issues. 20:16.815 --> 20:21.019 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% The anchovy fishery is very important for the Peruvian economy. 20:21.119 --> 20:28.126 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% Every year between four or five or six millions of tons are fished by the commercial fishery. 20:28.227 --> 20:33.165 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% And the effect on penguins and other seabirds is direct. 20:33.265 --> 20:37.469 align:left position:12.5% line:83% size:77.5% So less food, less numbers of animals. 20:37.569 --> 20:43.275 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% While the reserves offer protection on land, the animals are largely unprotected while 20:43.375 --> 20:44.843 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% at sea. 20:44.943 --> 20:49.481 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Here in Punta San Juan, it's only protected 200 meters from the coast. 20:49.581 --> 20:53.285 align:left position:32.5% line:89% size:57.5% And that's it. 20:53.385 --> 20:59.224 align:left position:80% line:83% size:10% To better understand the penguins life at sea, and suggest future protections, scientists 20:59.324 --> 21:03.996 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% have started studying their movements and foraging behavior. 21:04.096 --> 21:11.637 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Dr. Carlos Zavalaga, has studied penguins off and on for the last 30 years. 21:11.737 --> 21:19.211 align:left position:67.5% line:83% size:22.5% In the fall of 2019, he and his students conducted seabird research on Gua ape Norte, a remote 21:19.311 --> 21:23.148 align:left position:87.5% line:89% size:2.5% guano island in the north of Peru. 21:23.248 --> 21:32.724 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Now we have about quarter million of Peruvian boobies here on Gua ape Norte and about 150,000 21:32.824 --> 21:33.792 align:left position:27.5% line:89% size:62.5% guanay cormorants. 21:33.892 --> 21:38.297 align:left position:82.5% line:89% size:7.5% So they are breeding in large numbers. 21:38.397 --> 21:47.005 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% There are probably around a thousand Humboldt penguins on the Island. 21:47.105 --> 21:51.977 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Carlos is also conducting a study that looks at the interaction of penguins with fisheries 21:52.077 --> 21:57.349 align:left position:67.5% line:83% size:22.5% that use nets close to the islands where penguins nest and rest. 21:57.449 --> 22:05.023 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% One of the major reasons why Humboldt penguins are in low numbers, at least in comparison 22:05.123 --> 22:11.763 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% to historical records, is because they die as a consequence of entanglement in fishing 22:11.863 --> 22:13.632 align:left position:42.5% line:89% size:47.5% nets. 22:13.732 --> 22:20.138 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Between 92, 93 and 94 about a thousand of penguins died entangled in fishing nets around 22:20.238 --> 22:22.507 align:left position:37.5% line:83% size:52.5% the Punta San Juan area. 22:22.607 --> 22:24.609 align:left position:80% line:89% size:10% And we don't know how often it happens. 22:24.710 --> 22:30.048 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% It's very difficult to monitor and so what we want to know is where the penguins are 22:30.148 --> 22:31.950 align:left position:15% line:89% size:75% going when they are feeding. 22:32.050 --> 22:39.124 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% And at the same time where are these fishing boats fishing, based on interviews to fishermen 22:39.224 --> 22:44.296 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% and other sorts of data. 22:44.396 --> 22:49.801 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% To identify areas where the penguins might overlap with the fishing vessels, Carlos attached 22:49.901 --> 22:56.074 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% specialized data loggers on nesting penguins at Pachacamac Island, near Peru s capital 22:56.174 --> 22:58.043 align:left position:42.5% line:89% size:47.5% Lima. 22:58.143 --> 23:03.515 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% All of them need to have small chicks we need to be sure that the penguin will come back 23:03.615 --> 23:07.819 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% to the nest because we need to recover the device. 23:07.919 --> 23:13.558 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% And then we take the penguin out from the nest and attach the logger on the lower back 23:13.658 --> 23:16.928 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% using a waterproof tape. 23:17.028 --> 23:21.099 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% And then we release again the penguin in the nest. 23:21.199 --> 23:26.972 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% These loggers are capable of recording depth and location every 10 seconds, giving experts 23:27.072 --> 23:31.109 align:left position:75% line:89% size:15% an idea of where the animals travel to feed. 23:31.209 --> 23:40.552 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% We return two or three days later and again recapture the penguin and retrieve the logger. 23:40.652 --> 23:46.191 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% And then we return the penguin to the nest, then we are ready to download information 23:46.291 --> 23:48.593 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% to the computer. 23:48.693 --> 23:54.766 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Past tagging of penguins on Pachacamac Island showed the animals traveling in all directions. 23:54.866 --> 24:01.239 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% But the most important finding is that the two mile protected area around Isla Pachacamac 24:01.339 --> 24:03.275 align:left position:12.5% line:89% size:77.5% is not enough to protect them. 24:03.375 --> 24:08.079 align:left position:75% line:89% size:15% They go 20, 30 miles away looking for food. 24:08.180 --> 24:14.419 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% And this area, just watching the preliminary data, is also an important area for fishing. 24:14.519 --> 24:19.791 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% We need more data of course, but with this preliminary results, we can see that the area 24:19.891 --> 24:25.330 align:left position:67.5% line:83% size:22.5% of overlapping between penguins and the fisheries is very high. 24:25.430 --> 24:30.836 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Carlos says once he has collected all the necessary data he plans to present his findings 24:30.936 --> 24:36.608 align:left position:70% line:83% size:20% to the government, so it can consider extending protected areas where fishing isn t allowed 24:36.708 --> 25:00.932 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% or require fishing gear that minimizes the bycatch of penguins. 25:01.032 --> 25:06.304 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% Penguins have long captured the hearts and minds of people around the world. 25:06.404 --> 25:13.411 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% And like us, they depend on a healthy land and sea to survive. 25:13.512 --> 25:19.384 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% If they disappear, that means that we are changing things in such a way that it could 25:19.484 --> 25:21.319 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% affect the way we live. 25:21.419 --> 25:48.280 align:left position:77.5% line:83% size:12.5% This is like a mirror for us, if they are well there are indicators that the whole system 25:48.380 --> 26:08.600 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% is well. 26:08.700 --> 26:14.272 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% Major funding for this program was provided by the Batchelor Foundation, encouraging people 26:14.372 --> 26:23.281 align:left position:75% line:83% size:15% to preserve and protect America s underwater resources and by the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, 26:23.381 --> 26:27.419 align:left position:67.5% line:89% size:22.5% strengthening America s future through education. 26:27.519 --> 26:33.992 align:left position:72.5% line:83% size:17.5% Additional funding was provided by The William J. and Tina Rosenberg Foundation and by the 26:34.092 --> 26:38.092 align:left position:22.5% line:89% size:67.5% Do Unto Others Trust.