Illustration of penguins.
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Martin Fuchs
The population of wingless penguins and cormorants, two endemic species of the Galapagos archipelago, is experiencing a record increase, according to a census released this Friday by the Galapagos National Park (PNG), in Ecuador.
"The number of cormorants has reached a record number […] while the number of penguins is at its highest since 2006," said a press release from PNG.
The Galapagos penguins, one of the smallest species of penguins in the world, have increased from 1,451 in 2019 to 1,940 in 2020. Wingless cormorants, on the other hand, have increased from 1,914 to 2,220 over the same period.
The Galapagos Cormorant is the only one of this species to have lost its ability to fly, but has developed diving skills.
🇪🇨 The census carried out in September by the Galapagos National Park (PNG) shows a record increase in the population of penguins and cormorants in the Ecuadorian archipelago, partly due to the absence of tourists, in these times by pand ... https://t.co/EIJXVCsviY
- Courrier inter (@courrierinter) October 24, 2020
A very beneficial absence of tourists
The study, carried out in September by the PNG and the Charles Darwin Foundation, focused on the main colonies of the Isabela and Fernandina Islands and the Marielas islets, to the west of the archipelago.
The results of the census reflect the "good state of health of the population" of birds of the Galapagos, according to Paulo Proaño, Ecuadorian Minister of Environment and Water.
According to PNG, the climatic phenomenon of La Niña favors the presence of food for these birds.
Another factor has been “the absence of disturbance in the nesting areas of these species” thanks to the paralysis of tourist activities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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