Isla Chañaral (sometimes referred to as Isla Chanaral or Chanaral Island) is located 6 km off-shore from the northern Central Chilean coast, some 100 km north of the city of La Serena.

All three islands support populations of Humboldt penguins, but are also habitat for several other rare and endangered animal species such as the Peruvian diving petrel or the South American marine otter.

The reserve has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of Humboldt penguins and Peruvian diving-petrels.

[1] In recent years the reserve has experienced a strong increase in tourist activities, mainly due to being an important feeding ground in the summer months of different marine mammal species like fin whales, blue whales, humpback whales, and bottlenose dolphins that reside in the waters of the reserve.

The local fishermen formed an association in cooperation with the National Tourism Service Sernatur to conduct whale watching activities in a sustainable manner, implementing responsible whale watching guidelines.