Early in the morning, we pick up passengers at their hotel in Santiago to head to Zapallar. Boarding the boat that will take us to the island of penguins.
Early in the morning, we pick up passengers at their hotel in Santiago to head to Zapallar, where we board a private boat that will take us to the Penguin Island located between Zapallar and Cachagua. On Cachagua Island, you can mainly find two types of penguins: the Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) and the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus). The island is an important nesting and breeding site for these species, especially the Humboldt penguin.
The Humboldt penguin is a vulnerable species, and its colony on Cachagua Island is one of the most important both nationally and globally. The island also hosts colonies of Magellanic penguins, which is notable since their natural habitat is primarily in the southern regions of Chile.
Besides penguins, the island is an important habitat for various seabirds, such as gulls, pelicans, and cormorants.