Five penguin species given Endangered Species protection

Five species of penguins have won protection under the US Endangered Species Act after a 2006 petition by the Center for Biological Diversity along with two lawsuits filed jointly with Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN).

Five penguin species have finally won Endangered Species protection after legal wrangling forced the US government to stop dragging its feet regarding the matter. The US Department of Interior’s decision last week lists the Humboldt penguin of Peru and Chile along with four New Zealand penguins, the yellow-eyed, white-flippered, Fiordland crested and erect-crested, as being threatened. The action will help raise awareness of the penguins’ plight in their struggle against extinction, according to a report in Environmental News Network. “Protecting these penguins under the Endangered Species Act gives them a chance at survival,” said Center biologist Shaye Wolf. “ Sadly though, in this finding the Obama administration failed to acknowledge climate change as a threat . It won’t be able to help penguins survive the climate crisis if it doesn’t admit that it’s a problem.” Warming oceans, melting sea ice and overfishing of the penguins’ food supplies have combined to harm penguins and their habitat. Additionally, the penguins are faced with threats from commercial fishing gear, oil spills, and predators introduced to their breeding colonies. Todd Steiner, executive director of TIRN, said: “Finally the government is throwing penguins a lifeline to recovery by protecting them under the Endangered Species Act. Industrial fisheries and ocean warming are starving the penguins. Longlines and other destructive fishing gear entangle and drown them. Now they will have a fighting chance to survive.” The Department of Interior’s decision to list the five species of penguins came after it was sued for illegally delaying their protection under the Endangered Species Act. The Center and TIRN joined forces and filed suit in March after the government agency failed to meet its December 19, 2009 deadline of listing seven species of penguin at risk of extinction due to climate change and commercial fishing. A petition was filed in 2006 by the Center to list 12 species of penguin under the Endangered Species Act. In December 2008, the Interior Department proposed listing seven of those species as endangered or threatened. The Center and TIRN plan to file a suit against the Department of Interior for denying to list the northern rockhopper and emperor penguins as endangered, despite scientific evidence that they too are in jeopardy from the effects of climate change and commercial fisheries.