[1] CONAF (National Forest Corporation of Chile) manages the monument in an attempt to sustain both the tourism and the Magellanic penguins, for which the island has become a critical habitat.

Prior to the 16th century, Magdalena and Marta Islands were inhabited by three pre-Hispanic cultures: the Selknam, the Yaghan, and the Kawésqar.

The Selknam were forced to leave after Spanish colonialists brought sheep to the region, which eliminated the habitat of the guanaco, an animal similar to an alpaca, that they hunted.

[citation needed] The erosion is not occurring fast enough to require urgent attention, but over a longer timescale, it may decrease the surface area of the island and therefore the number of penguins that are able to nest there.

Because this sort of catastrophe is impossible to predict, it represents the most drastic effect that would require huge efforts to restore the penguin population, which, depending on the size of the spill, may not be possible.

[10] There is not much that can be done to prevent these risks, other than cutting off the route through the Strait of Magellan, which may create too many complications for the oil industry for such a strategy to even be considered.

Sites are chosen as monuments because they represent an important part of Chilean identity and play a role in the development of the relationship between humans and the environment.

The Los pinguinos monument natural was created in 1966 to preserve the site as a breeding area for the penguins, as well as a habitat for other migratory birds.

The monument also represents the cultural heritage of Chile, as it was inhabited by indigenous groups hundreds of years ago.

Visitors can climb up the spiral staircase to the top, which is 14 meters high, to gain a view of the island and the surrounding ocean.

[11] While tourism is believed to be growing, there are no complete records of how many people visit the island, which makes assessing the impact of the tourist industry difficult.

[12] Ecotourism represents a type of travel in which tourists aim to be responsible both in terms of conservation and of respect for local communities, and is often celebrated as a way to bring economic benefits into a region that has few other opportunities.

[12][13] Ideally, ecotourists have a low impact on the site they are visiting and in some way, at least economically, bring benefits to the region.

Ecotourists expect an authentic site, where they can observe the animals and environment as it occurs naturally, yet they are also interested in getting as close to the wildlife, in this case penguins, as possible.

[14] Penguins are the main attraction for tourists and sustain the economy of the region, yet they are threatened by a decrease in food sources because of the high fishing levels.

Therefore, to give the penguins a chance to grow comfortable, it is important that some parts of the island are prevented from human intrusion.

The lack of fishing as an option minimizes the impact of tourists on the environment and allows for sustainable tourism without threatening the food source of the penguins.

[14] Another factor that improves the viability of tourism at the monument is the education that is provided to tourists as they travel to Magdalena Island.

This information may play a critical role in limiting human impacts and potential destruction from tourists on the island.

The ferry system therefore gives the Los Pingüinos national monument an advantage over other sites that may struggle to find ways to increase the economic gains without some loss of environmental resources.