Conservation of the mixed-­‐species colony of Humboldt and Magellanic penguins at Puñihuil islands, Southern Chile.

R. Reyes-Arriagada, Hiriart-Bertrand L. et al 2010. 7 International Penguin Conference (poster).

The relevance of mixed-species colonies of penguins is reconized on the basis of their potential for hybridization, resource partitioning, behavioral interactions and more recently as touristic attractions. The mixed-species colonie of Magellanic and Humboldt penguins at Puñihuil islets (42ºS), southern Chile, was assessed to compare their conservation status before and after their formal protection when declared natural reserve in 1999. We counted nests and breeding pairs in 1997, 2004 and 2008. In 1997, up to 28% of penguin burrows were collapsed due to tourist and goat trampling; after tourist ban and goat removal, collapsed burrows dropped to 3-4%. In 2004, 1207 breeding pairs were counted; in 2008 these figures increased to 1327 nests. We attribute these changes to habitat improvement and conservation due to tourist exclusion of goal removal.