Pingüino de Humboldt National Reserve is a nature reserve

Nature reserve

A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...

 located a short distance off the coast of mainland Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

. It consists of three islands: Chañaral, Damas and Choros. It is located about 100 km (62.1 mi) north of La Serena in the Coquimbo Region

Coquimbo Region

The IV Coquimbo Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is some 400 km north of the capital, Santiago.The capital and largest city is La Serena, other important cities include the seaport Coquimbo and the agricultural centre...

 of Chile and has a total area of 859.3 hectares (2,123.4 acre). The reserve is an important breeding site for the Humboldt Penguin

Humboldt Penguin

The Humboldt Penguin is a South American penguin, that breeds in coastal Peru and Chile. Its nearest relatives are the African Penguin, the Magellanic Penguin and the Galápagos Penguin...

, for which it is named, and is a habitat for sea lion

Sea Lion

Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear-flaps, long fore-flippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short thick hair. Together with the fur seal, they comprise the family Otariidae, or eared seals. There are six extant and one extinct species in five genera...

s and bottlenose dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphin

Bottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...

s.

It is part of the Sistema Nacional de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas del Estado de Chile (National System of Protected Areas of the State of Chile), administered by the Corporación Nacional Forestal

Corporación Nacional Forestal

Corporación Nacional Forestal , Chile's National Forest Corporation, is a Chilean government agency that is part of Agriculture Ministry. It administrates the forestal policies of Chile and promotes the development of the sector with sustainable forest management. Conaf was created on May 13, 1970...

(National Forest Service, Conaf).

External links

• http://www.conaf.cl/?seccion_id=602862b4d8eee65b1781b254db0d9597&unidad=2 Pingüino de Humboldt National Reserve page at Conaf]
• 360° panoramas of Damas and Choros islands (Requires QuickTimePlayer)