The Humboldt penguin is endemic to the west coast of South America from Foca Island (5[deg]12'0''S) in northern Peru to the Pinihuil Islands near Chiloe, Chile (42[deg]S) (Araya et al. 2000, p. 1). It is a congener of the African penguin and has similar life history and ecological traits. Humboldt penguins historically bred on guano islands off the coast of Peru and Chile (Araya et al. 2000, p.1). Prior to human mining of guano for fertilizer, the Humboldt penguin's primary nesting habitat was in burrows, tunneled into the deep guano substrate on offshore islands. While the guano is produced primarily by three other species (the Guanay cormorant (Phalacrocorax bouganvillii), the Peruvian booby (Sula variegate), and Peruvian pelican (Pelecanus thagus)), Humboldt penguins depended on these burrows for shelter from the heat and from predators. With the intensive harvest of guano over the last century and a half in both countries, Humboldt penguins are forced to nest out in the open or seek shelter in caves or under vegetation (Paredes and Zavalga 2001, pp. 199-205).