February 9, 2023 - Galapagos Islands Travel

In the north U.S., Buckthorn, Bittersweet and Honeysuckle have taken over natural areas leaving behind vast, biodiversity-deficient wastelands. Our forests have been ravaged by insects like the Wooly Adelgid and the Emerald Ash Borer. Chestnut Blight is an insidiously introduced fungus.

Invasive species pose a threat to ecosystems and wildlife in Galapagos. Invasive insects can be tiny, but they are powerful invaders. Inadvertently, the avian Vampire Fly was introduced to Galapagos in 1960s. It was introduced onto poultry. It is now widespread in the Islands. Its bloodsucking larvae kill and maim most small landbird species. Introduced Fire Ants can also attack ground-dwelling species and even tortoise hatchlings.

Fire Ant © Galápagos National Park Directorate

Blackberry and Guava, invasive plants, overtake ecosystems and choke native plants. Other species are also affected by invasive plants like Blackberry and Guava. This includes insects that pollinate native plant species, birds such as the Vermillion Flycatcher, which require open habitats without invasive plants to forage, as well the reptiles of Galapagos, like tortoises, that depend on native plants for their food.

Blackberry groundcover at Los Gemelos © Joshua Vela/Galápagos Conservancy

My pet cat is my best friend at home. But in Galapagos introduced feral cats can become formidable predators. They can eat small birds, young tortoises and Lava Lizards. This can lead to rapid population declines. Adult Land Iguanas have suffered the most from free-roaming dogs on many of their islands. Canine distemper is also a problem for dogs and can pose a serious threat to beach-dwelling Sea Lions. Galapagos Conservancy promotes responsible pet ownership in the Islands through a partnership with WorldVet. This allows for sterilization and vaccination of cats and dogs.

Galapagos’ most destructive invasive mammal, the Black Rat, has been known to be an ecosystem-destroyer worldwide. These rodents eat tortoise eggs, birds eggs, native insects, as well as seeds from many plants. Native species are at risk of extinction from invasive rats: With only 20-30 Mangrove Finches left today, this species is considered Critically Endangered. This may partly be due to cats and rats attacking their nests. Black Rats have largely driven the native Rice Rats, and their endemic snails, to extinction.

Feral cat caught on wildlife camera © Galápagos Conservancy

Galapagos Conservancy supports the Agency for the Regulation and Control of Biosecurity and Quarantine for Galapagos for five years. This agency conserves biodiversity by responding to the spread of invasive species and diseases that are transmissible to humans and wildlife. These agencies do amazing work and benefit from Galapagos Conservancy’s critical funding to address emergencies.

Galapagos Conservancy and ABG will continue to fight for the preservation of Galapagos from invasive species. They are like the amazing people I know in the U.S. clearing the prairies of invasive Buckthorn, and saving the American Chestnut from near extinction.

Galapagos Conservancy’s Education for Sustainability Program in partnership with U.S. Embassy, Galapagos Education District brought together 26 English teachers from Archipelago for an transformative professional development session on Jan 22nd and 23rd. The teachers were guided by professionals who shared their best practices and ideas for creating a new contextized curriculum that focuses on sustainability in Galapagos.

The teachers were enthusiastic about learning from each other and showed a strong desire to improve their teaching skills. Lenin Rogel (Coordinator of the Education for Sustainability Program) said that he was pleased by the enthusiasm of the teachers and his gratitude for the U.S. government’s support and endorsement of the Ministry of Education for this important effort to improve education in Galapagos.

Jenny Yepez, a teacher from Miguel Angel Cazares Educational Unit, spoke highly of the training’s impact, saying that it was a “fruitful” experience that gave her new strategies and techniques she could use in her classroom. Carmen Cajamarca (one of the trainers) said the same thing, adding that it was an opportunity to share best practices and learn from others in sustainability education.

Galapagos Conservancy wishes to extend warm congratulations to all the teachers. We remain committed to supporting education and sustainability in Galapagos for the benefit its people, wildlife and ecosystems.

Teachers at the English teaching training session in San Cristóbal Island © Galápagos Conservancy

Galapagos Islands is home to a wealth of endangered and rare species. Conservation of these species is crucial for the Islands’ ecological integrity. Scientists can now see the day-to-day lives of Archipelago animals through cutting-edge technology and science thanks to cutting-edge science.

Satellite tracking is one technology being used to study the Galapagos Islands’ Giant Tortoises. Scientists can attach GPS devices to the shells of tortoises and track their movements and activities, which provides critical information that will help in the management and conservation of these rare animals.

Scientists can now study the Alcedo Volcano Giant Tortoises of Isabela Island using this technology without needing to spend too much time on the volcano. Satellite tracking data is crucial for the management of this population. It is used to answer key questions regarding the movements and habitat use of the tortoises.

These GPS devices are approximately 3×3 inches in size and can be attached to tortoises shells. These GPS devices are the most recent in satellite tracking technology, and they weigh only 200g, so they don’t have any effect on tortoises,” Washington Tapia, General Director at Galapagos Conservancy, and Conservando Galapagos, said.

Satellite tracking and other management actions are crucial for Giant Tortoise restoration and conservation. Alcedo Volcano Giant Tortoises currently numbers approximately 10,000. This makes it the island’s largest tortoise colony. The successful management programs such as the 2006 eradication and permanent feeding of donkeys and goats have helped to restore the vegetation.

It takes significant time and effort to implement and maintain conservation measures for Giant Tortoises who live on the Alcedo Volcano, which is remote and difficult to access. Galapagos Conservancy is grateful for the support that has been given to these efforts to save and restore Galapagos’ iconic Giant Tortoises.

Washington Tapia on mission to attach Satellite Tracking Devices © Galápagos Conservancy

Many natural events have led to habitat destruction and some species are on the verge of extinction in the Galapagos Islands over the years. Galapagos Conservancy works with the Galapagos National Park DIrectorate to improve Ecuadorian conservation efforts, and reverse the trend towards ecosystem destruction.

Corals are one species that requires immediate conservation attention. Corals, which contain 25% of all marine species in the world, are a popular attraction for thousands of tourists to the Galapagos Islands. They are also extremely valuable for the environment. Many species rely on corals for food, and humans eat them. They are also natural barriers against waves and tsunamis and home to many marine creatures such as starfish, sponges and sea urchins.Galapagos Conservancy recognizes the importance of corals for marine ecosystems and supports the GNPD with an experimental project to restore and protect corals. One of the projects on Santa Cruz Island is to establish a nursery, which will be used as a breeding ground for coral growth and reproduction in an area of Bahia Academia. The nursery houses corals for one year. Experts monitor their health and growth.

Director of Galapagos National Park Danny Rueda noted that the pilot project will be a benefit to ecosystems and local productive sector by regenerating areas with high ecological value. Rueda explained that coral helps to capture CO2 and transform it into oxygen for various species coexisting within marine ecosystems. It also serves as a seedbed of fish and other marine resources valuable to artisanal fishermen in Galapagos, which provides economic and social benefits.

The project was started in 2020. However, Galapagos Conservancy support has since February 2022 made it significantly stronger and yielding very promising results. A nursery currently grows 323 coral fragments from the 8 species of corals that have been planted. It has four planting beds.

Jennifer Suarez is a GNPD project leader, and a park ranger. According to Jennifer Suarez Pocillopora corals grow at a faster pace than other species with an average growth rate of around one inch per month. The average growth rate for Pocillopora corals was 20 mm per mois, while the average monthly growth rate was 43 mm. These averages were calculated using data prior to La Nina in 2021.

Jennifer said that corals can provide shelter, protection and food areas for many species of fish, including sharks, rays and sea turtles.

Washington Tapia is the general director of Conserving Galapagos. This organization is a partner in Galapagos Conservancy. Tapia says that corals are slow-growing and extremely sensitive to changes of ocean temperature. Due to El Nino events of 1997-1998 and 1982-1983, significant coral cover was lost in Galapagos. This is why it is so important to protect this species.

Galapagos Conservancy was pleased to fund this GNPD project. It will also continue to support projects that promote the restoration of GMR’s coral population.

A contagious disease could pose a grave threat to biodiversity in Galapagos Islands. Many species are at risk of extinction or decline due to the rapid spread of contagious disease such as avian Pox. Although avian pox has been around in Galapagos since 1898 when it was first introduced, much remains to be known about the disease. Although it is not known which species of birds are susceptible to avian pox, or when they occur, recent research has confirmed that Avipoxvirus DNA causes the disease in wild birds (including Darwin’s Finches). It can be found in three forms.

Cutaneous: Slow infection that results in nodules of various sizes.
Diphtheric: Lesions in the digestive or respiratory tracts.
Sepicemic: A severe infection that can cause death.

Galapagos Conservancy funded a research project to better understand and combat avian pox in March 2022. This study had two purposes: it was to determine the extent of avian disease in birds, specifically Finches, and assess the impact of this disease on Finches’ survival on Santa Cruz Island.

The study was conducted by Diana Loyola (a Galapagos Conservancy conservation grantee), Loyola’s team captured 3,108 birds from 11 species at 17 locations on Santa Cruz Island. There were many bird species that were captured, including nearly all the Finch species on the island. The Small Ground Finch (), which was the most infected, had the highest numbers.

Loyola and her colleagues calculated the prevalence of avian Pox over several months. Loyola and her team found a prevalence of avian pox of 7% in April and a prevalence rate of 6% in May and June. This does not mean that there is a significant variation in the infection rates. This confirms the findings of other studies (Jimenez -Uzcategui, 2007; Kleindorfer, & Dudaniec 2006), that fowl pox is possible in any season. The number of fowl-pox vectors (moths) that are present in warm weather can make it more difficult for birds to be affected and increase the risk of getting infected.

Avail pox was also assessed for its effect on survival. This required the difficult task of recapturing birds. Loyola states that there is no doubt that the virus has a negative effect on bird survival.

Apart from existing research on avian Pox, Dr. Jorge Carrion is the Conservation Director at Galapagos Conservancy with Conservando Galapagos. He said that this research is crucial for determining the conditions that favor the spread of the disease and recommending management strategies to stop it spreading.

The transmission of avian pox between birds can occur through skin contact and from bites by virus-infected mosquitoes. Transmission of disease is more likely during mosquito breeding season (Gerlach 1999). Galapagos Conservancy would like to congratulate Diana Loyola, her team and their hard work on the field. They also contributed in controlling avian pox. Dr. Carrion stated that “if we want to ensure our survival and the survival of all living things, we must be active in protecting our planet.”

Galapagos Conservancy is collaborating with the Galapagos National Park Directorate, (GNPD) to undertake an ambitious project that includes the first comprehensive census of Cerro Azul Giant Tortoises populations () on Isabela Island. In a period of 10 days, 2,222 tortoises that are endemic to Cerro Azul Volcano have been marked and evaluated.

Dr. Jorge Carrion is Director of Conservation for Galapagos Conservancy with Conservando Galapagos. He stated that while the species’ population has been negatively affected by the presence invasive species like guava or feral pigs but that the “expedition results have been positive and provide valuable data about the number of tortoises, the icons of Galapagos”, said that the expedition had provided useful information.

Washington Tapia is the General Director of Galapagos Conservancy. He also works with Conservando Galapagos. To determine the phylogenetic relationships between the various tortoise populations, blood samples were taken. Feces samples were also taken to examine their diet and contribution towards seed dispersal.

Galapagos Conservancy has a commitment to strengthening conservation efforts and protecting this species from invasive species. It is vital to conduct scientific expeditions to remote areas like Cerro Azul volcano in order to understand the status of Giant Tortoises’ population and ensure the conservation of this rare species.

Group of Galápagos Giant Tortoises at Cerro Azul