Galapagos Marine Reserve has a variety of unique species, which not only attracts thousands of tourists each year but are also vital to the health and wellbeing of the marine ecosystem. These species include the Galapagos Sea Lion ( Zalophus wollabaeki ) as well as the Galapagos Fur Seal ( Arctocephalus galapagoensis ). Both are found only on the Galapagos Islands and both are now endangered. Climate change and human activity, especially in areas near urban centres, are threatening these marine mammals.
Galapagos Conservation is committed to supporting efforts in the local community that help protect endangered and iconic species, such as pinnipeds from Galapagos. We support the pinniped research of Marjorie Riofrio, a researcher at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. As part of the initiative, Dr. Riofrio educates local residents on sea lion conservation. She has recently led the creation and publication of a book for children titled “Loberto & Zally: Galapagos Sea Lions” to inspire readers to protect these species.
This story is about two sea lion siblings: Loberto, the playful pup, Zally, the curious older sister. Together, they explore the life of San Cristobal Island – home to the biggest sea lion colony on the archipelago. Together they face the challenges of growing in the Galapagos. They discover their unique environment and learn how to survive.
The book will be distributed to 200 school students on San Cristobal Island. Marjorie hopes that this educational tool will inspire future generations of people to play a role in the conservation efforts for the Galapagos Sea Lion. She explained that the book is not just a simple story, but an educational tool designed to promote scientific inquiry and strengthen ties between local communities with their environment.
Jenny Macias is the educational advisor for Galapagos Conservancy. She stressed that this project fits perfectly with their goals. By integrating the book in the Galapagos Contextualized Curriculum we inspire young minds to connect deeply to nature and realize the urgent need to preserve our valuable marine eco-system.
Galapagos Conservancy is committed to supporting conservation projects such as this. We congratulate Marjorie Riofrio for the launch of “Loberto and Zally”, which will encourage young people in Galapagos, to protect and preserve the iconic and loved sea lions and seals that call their home.
