Genus Spheniscus

Humboldt Penguin

フンボルトペンギン Spheniscus humboldti

A Humboldt Penguin standing on the ground, seen from the side
Photo: Chris huh / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

About

A medium-sized black-and-white penguin about 65 cm long. A white band runs from above the eye around the face to the throat, and a single black band crosses the breast. The similar Magellanic Penguin has a broader white head stripe and more than one breast band.

Key facts

Scientific name
Spheniscus humboldti
Conservation status (IUCN)
Vulnerable (VU) — assessed 2020
Population trend
Decreasing
Population
Up to about 23,800 mature individuals (as of 2017)
Length
about 65 cm
Range
Found along the Pacific coast from northern Peru to southern Chile, breeding on islands and rocky shores.

Where to see the Humboldt Penguin in Japan

Adventure World

Wakayama Shirahama

10 penguin species

Aqua World Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium

Ibaraki Oarai

1 penguin species

Asahiyama Zoo

Hokkaido Asahikawa

4 penguin species

Echizen Matsushima Aquarium

Fukui Sakai

4 penguin species

Enoshima Aquarium

Kanagawa Fujisawa

1 penguin species

Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Aichi Chikusa-ku, Nagoya

2 penguin species

Shimonoseki Aquarium Kaikyokan

Yamaguchi Shimonoseki

5 penguin species

Kamogawa Sea World

Chiba Kamogawa

3 penguin species

Tokyo Sea Life Park

Tokyo Edogawa

4 penguin species

Miyajima Public Aquarium

Hiroshima Hatsukaichi

1 penguin species

Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium

Nagasaki

9 penguin species

Otaru Aquarium

Hokkaido Otaru

2 penguin species

Saitama Children's Zoo

Saitama Higashimatsuyama

1 penguin species

Sendai Uminomori Aquarium

Miyagi Miyagino-ku, Sendai

5 penguin species

Toba Aquarium

Mie Toba

1 penguin species

FAQ

Where can I see the Humboldt Penguin in Japan?
At 15 places listed on PenguinSpot: Adventure World, Aqua World Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium, Asahiyama Zoo, Echizen Matsushima Aquarium, Enoshima Aquarium, Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Shimonoseki Aquarium Kaikyokan, Kamogawa Sea World, Tokyo Sea Life Park, Miyajima Public Aquarium, Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium, Otaru Aquarium, Saitama Children's Zoo, Sendai Uminomori Aquarium, Toba Aquarium.
Is the Humboldt Penguin endangered?
Yes. The IUCN Red List classifies it as Vulnerable (VU), assessed in 2020.

Sources

We checked the sources below on October 21, 2026.