Campaign Aims to Reinstate Protection for Humboldt Penguins During Festival REC 2026

Original article: Campaña busca reinstalar protección del pingüino de Humboldt durante el Festival REC 2026 As part of Festival REC 2026, environmental groups such as Defensa Ribera Norte, Escuela Libre y Popular Wallpencillo, and the Biobío Wetlands Network, along with various environmental NGOs, have launched the campaign «Let’s Recover the Humboldt Penguin». This initiative aims to raise public awareness about the ecological importance of this species in Chile and to reestablish the urgent need for its protection by advocating for the reinstatement of Decree No. 13, which designated it as a Natural Monument.

«The campaign emerged after the current government’s Ministry of the Environment withdrew this decree from oversight, a decision that nullified a key progress in the protection of this species, which is considered a fundamental bioindicator of the health of the Humboldt Current,» stated the campaign’s organizers. In this context, the organization Defensa Ribera Norte Chiguayante emphasized that the penguin «is not just an emblematic species; it is a living sign of the state of our coastal ecosystems. According to Greenpeace, 80% of the Humboldt Penguin population is born in Chile.

Today, its protection is on hold, but its crisis is ongoing. » This species is currently facing a critical situation characterized by low birth rates, disruption of its nesting sites, and pressures from human activities and climate change. Additionally, the suspension of conservation instruments such as the RECOGE (Recovery, Conservation, and Management of Species) plans reflects a regression in the country’s environmental policy, according to environmental organizations.

«The urgency is not merely administrative; it is existential. If action is not taken now, it may be too late by the next Festival REC,» emphasized the organizers. Massive Visual Interventions The «Let’s Recover the Humboldt Penguin» initiative seeks to mobilize citizens through an inclusive narrative, which means understanding the defense of natural heritage as a common value.

To achieve this, the campaign will deploy a series of actions during the Festival REC, including large-scale visual interventions, such as a giant totem and penguin colonies among the audience that will move through the event. Additionally, coordinated digital actions will be undertaken to promote the use of the emoji 🐧 to position the cause on social media leading to the festival.