We protect Penguins, We protect Oceans, We protect Life

ABOUT

Vision

The Global Penguin Society is an internationally recognized leader organization dedicated to the conservation of the world´s penguin species, the coasts and the oceans they inhabit.

Mission

The Global Penguin Society fosters the conservation of all penguin species and their associated ecosystems, generating science, management guidelines and education.

Objectives

Develop sound science to use in the conservation of penguins and marine environments at local, regional, and global scales.
Educate communities and decision makers about the importance of penguins and their habitats, aiming at achieving lasting behavioral changes.
Identify priority areas for the conservation of penguins and their ecosystems, propose and implement guidelines for their protection.
Influence the establishment, implementation, and effectiveness of public and private conservation policies.

Donate

OUR VALUES

INTEGRITY

Our work is based on honesty and strong moral principles.

OUR VALUES

Committment

We are dedicated to and passionate about our mission.

OUR VALUES

Respect

For all the people, the penguins, and the environment we work with.

OUR VALUES

Empathy

We listen and understand the feelings and perspectives of others.

OUR VALUES

Trust

We work with the firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of the people we work with.

Countries with GPS impact (in blue)

What We Do

A Unique Conservation Approach

The Global Penguin Society (GPS) is the first and only international organization dedicated exclusively to the conservation of the world’s 18 penguin species and their habitats.

Science

GPS improves scientific knowledge on critical aspects of the biology and ecology of penguin species in order to guide conservation actions.

Current activities

Education

Fostering a “conservation culture” is our educational goal. By raising awareness about penguins, we both involve and empower local communities and reach decision makers.

Current activities

Management

GPS works closely with government, community officials and landowners to create effective conservation policies to benefit not only penguins, but their entire local ecosystems and nearby communities.

Current activities

Impact by Numbers

8000000

Acres of marine and coastal areas protected

6000

Kids who have visited penguin colonies through our educational program to date

3000

Educational books distributed for free in 5 Spanish speaking countries

1600000

Penguins benefited by improved management and implementation

Success to date

2009

GPS is founded by Pablo Garcia Borboroglu through his Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation, after recognizing the need to integrate conservation and research efforts globally.

2010

Pablo receives the Whitley Award, which is instrumental to strengthen and expand Global Penguin Society.

2011

GPS obtains a Wildlife Refuge designation for “El Pedral”, a small Magellanic penguin colony in Argentina that GPS discovered in 2001. With this designation, GPS secures the habitat for this penguin colony, allowing it to grow from 6 to 1,800 nests.

2012

GPS publishes our famous poster “Penguins of the World”, increasing visibility and awareness of penguin conservation status.

2013

We publish the book: “Penguins: Natural History and Conservation”, involving 49 authors from 12 countries. It is recognized as a University of Washington Press best seller.

2014

GPS helps establish the IUCN SSC Penguin Specialist Group, co-chaired by Dr. Pablo García Borboroglu and Dr. Dee Boersma. The group includes 52 penguin experts; it impacts critical global conservation issues, influences international and national policy, and helps to assess all penguin species’ conservation status.

2015

GPS spearheads the creation of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve “Blue Patagonia”. This is the largest of this kind in Argentina (around 8 million acres, roughly the size of Belgium) and has the highest biodiversity in Argentina. Blue Patagonia protects 20 penguin colonies and 700 marine and terrestrial species.

2015

We join the United Nations Ocean Sanctuary Alliance Scientific Panel to help justify scientifically the need to increase ocean conservation. The goal was to include ocean protection as a Sustainable Development Goal in the UN Agenda 2030; this was accomplished when 193 countries approved the agenda.

2015

We publish our Educational Booklet “Mensajeros del Mar” (Messengers of the Sea), distributed for free in five Spanish-speaking countries.

2016

GPS catalyzes the creation of the 250,000 acres Punta Tombo Marine Protected Area in Patagonia Argentina. Punta Tombo protects the feeding area of over half a million penguins, including one of the largest Magellanic penguin colonies in the planet.

2016

The Spanish version of the Book “Pinguinos: Historia Natural y Conservación” is awarded as the Best Book edited in Argentina by the Chamber of Publications.

2016

GPS is incorporated as one of the first marine partners of Wildlife Conservation Network.

2017

6,000 students participate in our school trips to visit penguin colonies and meet penguins for the first time. Thousands of kids benefit from the books GPS donated to their schools.

2018

Our work is recognized by the WHITLEY GOLD AWARD and the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Buffett Award for Leadership in Conservation presented to Dr. García Borboroglu.

Our Team

Pablo García Borboroglu

PhD. in Biology

Founder and President

Laura Marina Reyes

PhD. in Biology

Conservation Program Director

María Lujan Villabriga

Biologist

Educational Program Director

Maricel Giaccardi

Biologist

Protected Areas Consultant

Pablo Filippo

Environmental Lawyer

Environmental Lawyer Legal advisor

Jimena Estevez

Graphic Designer

Education material design

Claudia Godoy Reyes

Veterinarian

GPS Chile Representative

Luis Muñoz

GPS Chile Representative

Alejandro García Borboroglu

Informatic Engineer

Community Manager

Stephanie Carnow

Wildlife Conservation Network Program Manager for GPS

Ursula Ellenberg

PhD. In Biology

GPS New Zealand Representative

Thomas Mattern

PhD. In Biology

GPS New Zealand Representative

Micaela Belén Stange

GPS Education Program

Maria Eugenia Bertagna

Warden in San Lorenzo Natural Reserve

Agostina Revellino

Warden in San Lorenzo Natural Reserve

Our Board

Dr. Pablo García Borboroglu

Board Director
(CONICET Argentina & IUCN SSC)

Dr. Dee Boersma

Board Member
(University of Washington, USA & IUCN SSC)

Dr. Laura Reyes

Board Member
(University of Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Argentina)

Dr. Susie Ellis

Board Member
(International Rhino Foundation, USA)

Maricel Giaccardi

Board Member
(Terramoena, Argentina)

Tom Leiden

Board Member
(Leiden Conservation Trust, USA)

We would like to recognize the contributions of Dr. Luc Hoffmann who was a key member of our Board until his death in 2016.

Dr. Luc Hoffmann

Our Supporters

Our Partners

GPS is the partner organization of the UICN SSC Penguin Specialist Group. It is one of the 17 partners of WCN, and a member of the Steering Committee of the Forum for the Conservation of the Patagonian Sea.

GPS receives institutional support from:

"People love penguins but are unaware of their decline.Global Penguin Society has devised solutions to tackle their problems head on"

Sir David Attenborough