The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal petition with the U.S. government this past November requesting that 12 species of penguins worldwide be added to the list of threatened and endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the agency charged with protection of all listed species under the act; however, that petition expires 90 days from conception. This petition will join and follow that petition laid out by the Center for Biological Diversity, in order to keep such a proposal before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Therefore, this petition underscores the supreme urgency of the matter, for without this vital protection, thousands of penguins will disappear from the southern hemisphere and may possibly become extinct.

Each of the penguin species named in the petition faces threats that include global warming, introduced predators, disease, habitat destruction, disturbance at breeding colonies, oil spills, marine pollution, depletion of krill which feeds their prey species, as well as themselves, and in some cases, direct harvest. All penguins eat krill, tiny, shrimp-like crustaceans. For emperor, adelie, and rockhopper penguins, krill is a more important food source than fish.

The Center for Biological Diversity has stated that global warming is one of the most serious threats to penguin species not only because Antarctic ice is melting, but because warmer ocean temperatures are causing a decline in a primary food source, as stated above, krill.

The 12 species subject of the petition are the emperor penguin, southern rockhopper penguin, northern rockhopper penguin, Fiordland crested penguin, snares crested penguin, erect-crested penguin, macaroni penguin, royal penguin, white-flippered penguin, yellow-eyed penguin, African penguin, and Humboldt penguin. Currently, only the Galapagos penguin of Ecuador is the only penguin species currently listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

By signing this petition, you become a partner in promoting the welfare of all penguins. Once those in authority read this appeal and see the high volume of signatures, it is our hope that they will surely take action. Without our combined forces, we may lose these precious birds forever.

On behalf of all these beautiful penguins, thank you so very much for taking time to sign this petition.

We the undersigned...

... petition you, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as the agency in charge of protecting species under the law, with the supreme urgency of placing 12 species of penguins on the list of threatened and endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Without this vital protection, thousands of penguins will disappear from the southern hemisphere and potentially become extinct .  The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal petition with the U.S. government this past November requesting that these same 12 species of penguins  be added to the list of threatened and endangered species. However, that petition expires within a 90 day period after filing. Our petition joins theirs and extends their cause in name and intention.

Each of the penguin species named in the petition faces threats that include global warming, introduced predators, disease, habitat destruction, disturbance at breeding colonies, oil spills, marine pollution, depletion of krill which feeds their prey species, and in some cases, by direct harvest. By offering these penguins protection, we can then move forward with mandatory restrictions that will protect these birds' habitat and also, will stop corporations and industries from removing the very resources these birds need to survive.

The Center for Biological Diversity has stated that global warming is one of the most serious threats to penguin species, not only because Antarctic ice is melting, but because warmer ocean temperatures are causing a decline in their above stated, primary food source - krill. For emperor, adelie, and rockhopper penguins, krill is a more important food source than fish. We must act now in order to save these birds.

The 12 species that are the subject of the petition are the emperor penguin, southern rockhopper penguin, northern rockhopper penguin, Fiordland crested penguin, snares crested penguin, erect-crested penguin, macaroni penguin, royal penguin, white-flippered penguin, yellow-eyed penguin, African penguin, and Humboldt penguin. Currently, only the Galapagos penguin of Ecuador is the only penguin species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

We, the undersigned of this petition, have become  partners in promoting the welfare of all penguins. We ask you, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to comprehend  the sincerity of  this appeal by the high volume of signatures. We ask you to please help save these precious birds from becoming nothing more than a memory

Thank you so very much for taking the time to consider the needs of our penguins.