The Galapagos penguin and flightless cormorant are currently categorised as threatened in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of threatened species.  The main threats to these species include El Niño and the potential risk of floods; predators such as cats, dogs and rats eating their eggs and unauthorised net fishing and fuel spills.

El Niño events prevent the arrival of cool nutrient rich waters which bring with them large schools of fish. Without these fish arrivals, many Galapagos species go hungry and starve. In 1983, El Niño events wiped out approximately 50% of the flightless cormorant population, reducing it just 400 individuals. However, the population recovered quickly, almost doubling in size to 900 by 1999. The same El Niño event claimed the lives of 77% of the penguin population, all of which starved to death.  Fortunately the population has since shown a steady increase in size.

Photograph kindly provided by Ralph Pannell

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