Earlier it was believed that Penguins’ population is at stake because of men’s unhealthy practices of hunting. However, recently it has been found that a certain breed of penguin is fighting to survive because of the cruel activities of rats.

It is for the very first time when penguins have been seen under threat because of rats. Rats are notorious animals they eat away the eggs of penguins because of which the population of Humboldt penguin is under threat.

An amount of $200,000 has been spent by the Zoological Society of Milwaukee and others for studying the cause of distress of the Humboldt penguin. This particular breed of penguin, give birth twice in a year. However, the rats are eating away the eggs laid by them.

During an experiment, the bird veterinarians placed boiled checked eggs in the empty nests of penguin. It was found that the Norway Rats, within small passage of time, ate up all the eggs. The findings have been published in the journal, Ornithology. Efforts are required to be put to safeguard the population of Humboldt penguin. Besides, strategies are required to be made by which the rats would be stopped from eating up the eggs of penguins.