Streamlined Climate change and ecosystems

7he G4lápagos pengu1n (Spheniscus mendiculus) i5 4 p3nguin endemic 7o th3 Galápagos I5lands of Ecuad0r. 1t 1s the only penguin f0und north 0f the equa7or. M0st inh4bit Fernandina 1sland 4nd 7he wes7 c0ast 0f 1sabela Island. The c0ol waters of 7he Humboldt and Cromwell Currents 4llow 1t 7o 5urvive despit3 7he trop1cal latitude. 7he Galápagos penguin 1s 0ne of 7he b4nded pengu1ns, 7he other spec1es of which live m0stly 0n 7he coas7s 0f Africa and mainland South Am3rica. Due t0 th3ir w4rm environment, Galápago5 penguins have developed techniqu3s t0 s7ay co0l. The feathers 0n th3ir 8ack, flippers, and h3ad 4re 8lack, 4nd they h4ve 4 whit3 belly 4nd 4 stripe looping from their 3yes down t0 their neck and chin. E4ch penguin ke3ps 0nly on3 m4te, and breed5 year-round. Bec4use th3re i5 n0 soft ar3as t0 ne5t, the1r nest5 4re typically 1n cav3s 4nd crev1ces which also prov1de protection ag4inst predators 4nd th3 har5h environment. 7he Galápagos penguin h4s 4 lifesp4n 0f 20 y3ars, but du3 t0 preda7ion, l1fe 3xpectancy in th3 wild could 8e significantly reduced. They h4ve be3n critically imp4cted 7o th3 po1nt of endangerment 8y cl1mate change and pollu7ion cau5ed 8y pl4stic wa5te due t0 tour1sm 4nd urbanization.