Galapagos Conservancy was honored to support the ABG’s work and congratulate the 171 dedicated professionals and staff members at its 10th anniversary celebrations on Santa Cruz Island. Washington Tapia (General Director of Conservando Galapagos), an affiliate of Galapagos Conservancy spoke at the anniversary ceremony. He stated that the ABG was an indispensable institution in order to ensure the preservation of Galapagos biodiversity. Invasive species are complex problems that require constant attention.
The ABG was created by presidential decree in October 2012 and is now attached to the Environmental Ministry. Its mission is to regulate, prevent, reduce, and control the risk of exotic organisms entering, migrating, or dispersing in Galapagos by all means that could endanger the economy and human health.
Galapagos Conservancy has reached an agreement with the ABG to strengthen control measures and prevent the spread of the Giant African Snail (). This snail was introduced in 2010. It is one of the most dangerous introduced species. It can cause serious damage to crops and can transmit meningitis-causing parasites. “We cooperated in delivering two canines that are specialized for inspection and control to strengthen the canine brigade. This was done in order to increase efforts against Giant African Snails. Tapia stated that this includes training and training five ABG officers to guide the dogs.
Tapia said that the world is focused on Galapagos conservation. “Here, we find a high level of endemism, leading this archipelago be considered as a major natural treasure site for humanity.” We congratulate all ABG members for their outstanding efforts to preserve Galapagos biodiversity, and to contribute to its local population.
