Dear colleagues,

We know you have all been waiting for information on the 11th International Penguin Congress (IPC) in Chile next year. Considering the current scenario of uncertainty and the different ways in which COVID-19 affects different countries, we discussed with the international steering committee better options to get this congress organized. After considering some options, in a unanimous decision, we agreed to postpone the 11th IPC until 2023, hoping that things will then be normal or nearly normal.

To announce the congress with enough anticipation, we need to take essential decisions now and that would assume high degrees of uncertainty. To put this in terms of penguin biology: when facing an El Niño event, Humboldt penguins would abort breeding if they are not sure they can get enough food to raise their young successfully.

Several institutions are not allowing their members to travel abroad unless it is strictly necessary, some others are requesting expensive travel insurances and preventive quarantines are requested upon arrival in Chile and back to the country of origin. All these factors depict a very unclear scenario and many colleagues may decide not to attend. And we would love to have an 11th IPC with many delegates enjoying Chilean wine and pisco sour at the opening ceremony (and after the opening as well).

We hope to be back with more encouraging news by March next year and provide you with more details on the 11th IPC 2023.

All the best!

 Local organising committee:
Alejandro Simeone (Universidad Andrés Bello)
Juliana Vianna (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)
Guillermo Luna-Jorquera (Universidad Católica del Norte)

International Scientific Committee:
Peter Barham (University of Bristol)
Dee Boersma (University of Washington)
Pablo Garcia Borboroglu (Global Penguin Society)
André Chiardia (Phillip Island Nature Parks)
Lloyd Davis (University of Otago)
Sue Murray (Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust)
Phil Trathan (British Antarctic Survey)
Lauren Waller (Leiden Conservation Fellow, SANCCOB)