Penguins Protest Trump's Antarctica Tariff

With the world’s eyes on a group of Antarctic penguins that were subject to the sweeping 10% tariffs introduced by the U.S. administration last Wednesday, Penguins International is harnessing the global attention on these birds to help conserve the species with a march.

On Wednesday, April 16th, Penguins International, a non-profit organisation committed to preserving and protecting penguins to protect the planet, is turning the birds’ annual migratory trek from the ocean to their breeding grounds into a Protest March of the Penguins, which will be streamed on YouTube Live. Through this stream, Penguins International hopes to generate support and donations. Today, nine of the 18 species of penguins that exist are either listed as Vulnerable or Endangered of becoming extinct.

On April 2nd, widespread reciprocal tariff plans were announced by the U.S. administration. While the administration has since walked many of these tariffs back, the 10% baseline fee on all imports to the country still stands. Included on the list are Heard Island and McDonald Islands, a group of barren, uninhabited islands near Antarctica, home only to penguins. The imposition of tariffs on one of the most remote parts of the globe quickly caught the world’s attention, with the masses taking to the internet to share their thoughts, and memes.

“Wild penguins, like those that inhabit the Heard and McDonald Islands, face threats that are far more real than the tariffs that were imposed,” says David Shutt, the executive director at Penguins International. “Today, nine of the 18 species of penguins that exist are either listed as Vulnerable or Endangered of becoming extinct. We’re grateful to be able to use the unexpected attention on the Antarctic penguins to shine a light on the species as a whole, and to turn this news story into an opportunity to protect them for the greater good of the planet.”

Tune in to the march on Wednesday, April 16th at 5 PM EST at YouTube.com/PenguinsInternational, share, and donate to Penguins International to help save the penguins.

Penguins International hopes to follow up the digital march with a real protest march on Friday, April25th, World Penguin Day. Follow @penguins_international on social media for updates.