Source: Charles Darwin Foundation

CDF's thesis student Lenyn Betancourt is a familiar face in the schools of Puerto Ayora, where 188 children help him look for unusual invertebrates amongst the plants in the school patio. This pilot programme by the CDF's invertebrate research team is expanding the inventory and monitoring of terrestrial invertebrates in Puerto Ayora. These alert youngsters reflect CDF's commitment to involving the community in their research and enabling them to feel ownership of the results.

"I am back in the same classroom where I first learned about natural sciences" said Betancourt. "This project means I can share the thrill of a new discovery as well as help others understand the threats posed by introduced insects."

The vigor with which the students have assumed the responsibility of monitoring in their own space shows the depth of interest of the community in learning about the environment and invasive species issues. A weevil Sitophilus zeamais and a stink bug Antiteuchus tripterus were recorded for the first time as present in the islands.

"The participation and the support of everyone; children, shopkeepers, homemakers, is fundamental in detecting new introductions before they begin to cause damage," commented Betancourt. Introduced species threaten human health, the local economy and the biodiversity of the archipelago. This project is part of a large scale inventory underway that involves other CDF research staff, the government quarantine team, park wardens and the environmental police. To date 526 insects, spiders and other invertebrates have been registered, including fire ants and the Dengue mosquito.

Source: Charles Darwin Foundation

29 March, 2007

Over the last 30 years the land iguana captive breeding programme has reared and released 1,136 land iguanas. Successful breeding in the wild is especially obvious on Baltra Island and northwest Santa Cruz Island since these sites are now free of the feral cats and dogs that previously decimated the iguana populations. The conservation of the endemic land iguana Conolophus subcristatus is the result of partnerships that blend research, management and stewardship. The knowledge gained from these successes will guide future programs to guarantee the survival of other vulnerable native and endemic species, and restore and maintain the natural diversity of Galapagos.

Caring for his leathery charges since 1985, the daily routine of Alberto Jaramillo, CDF's Herpetology Field Technician involved the general care of the land iguanas: feeding, cleaning their corrals, searching for their food and going on monitoring trips to check population levels in the wild. Says Jaramillo, "the most exciting moment was when we could take the young iguanas we had raised back to their original home and set them free."

Jaramillo, a third generation Galapagos native, often wondered as a child what lay beyond the "restricted area" sign at the gate to the iguana captive rearing centre. After traversing that same pathway for over two decades it now holds few secrets. Commented Jaramillo "My body is scarred from the bites and scratches and I no longer have the top of one finger but it was worth it knowing my work helped to save their lives."

In 2007 the Galapagos National Park Service took over the daily maintenance of the iguana captive breeding centre with CDF herpetologists continuing to provide technical assistance. Alberto Jaramillo left his beloved iguanas to pursue a new life path. All at the CDF wish him well in his new endeavors.

Source: Charles Darwin Foundation

The "Corals of Galapagos" project team ran a workshop on "How to protect the remaining coral reefs in the northern Islands of Darwin, Wolf and Marchena", on Santa Cruz in January 2007. Marine experts, including scientists from the Charles Darwin Research Station, representatives of Conservation International and the Galapagos National Park joined stakeholder groups, including Galapagos dive guides and fishers, to discuss the importance of the coral reefs of the marine reserve and a plan to create anchorages to reduce the impacts of fishing and tourism on these fragile reefs.

Marine Ecosystems Project Leader Stuart Banks said, "The workshop's goal is to provide information to groups with a decision-making role in the marine reserve participatory management system and encourage them to stay involved in the implementation of their own decisions - ultimately ensuring sustainable use of the resources and protection of the corals by the very people who benefit from a healthy ecosystem."

The Galapagos coral communities were heavily impacted by the strong El Niño events of 1982-3 and 1997-8 resulting in an alarming reduction of more than 97% of the previously known coralline habitat.

Corals modify significantly the direction and speed of ocean currents as well as being highly productive habitats for many species. In Galapagos they are also focal points for various human activities within the marine reserve. Galapagos is a world-renowned diving spot and also relies on coral to provide habitat and protection for many valuable fishery species. CDF's research will monitor the state of the coral community around the anchorages, providing information about the composition, distribution and condition of corals and their associated communities.

Both the dive tourism and the fishing sectors showed great interest in participating in the installation of buoys in strategic sites near Darwin, Wolf and Marchena islands in the next months. These anchorages, which are specially designed to minimize environmental impact, avoid the damage caused by frequent use of anchors. This project has been possible thanks to financial support from the British Government's Darwin Initiative.

Hopefully, the enthusiasm and shared concern shown during the workshop will be another step towards guaranteeing a safe future for the unique marine ecosystems of Galapagos.

Source: Charles Darwin Foundation

A new project began in late 2006 that aims to increase the knowledge about the needs and the ecology of the mangrove finch Cactospiza heliobates. The most endangered of "Darwin's" finches, the species is listed as "Critically Endangered" by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The fewer than 50 pairs of the mangrove finch inhabit the naturally scarce mangrove forests of the western Galapagos Islands where they are threatened by introduced animals.

CDF scientists in collaboration with Dr. Glyn Young from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and advisors, including ex-CDF ornithologist Dr. Hernan Vargas, are assessing the remaining mangrove finch populations. Their research will provide vital clues to guide management decisions about tackling threats and restoring the birds' critically low population as well as assist future planning for bird conservation in the islands.

CDF's Dr. Birgit Fessl, project coordinator, said "The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has a proven track record in the conservation and restoration of critically threatened birds. In combination with the CDF knowledge of this species and what we will learn during the project we feel confident that we can ensure the survival of this species".

Through exacting science supporting excellent management, the CDF aims to ensure that the mangrove finch does not become another sad addition to the extinct species of our planet. The Darwin finch logo of the British Government's Darwin Initiative that supports the project might well be the lucky charm for the mangrove finch.

Source: Charles Darwin Foundation

5 March, 2007

The disheartening news of the first recorded death of a sea turtle marked in Galapagos was received recently by Patricia Zárate, Charles Darwin Foundation's (CDF) marine turtle project coordinator. Tagged as DC235 by the CDF monitoring team, this female East Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas) was caught and died in the long line of a commercial vessel fishing for tuna in Panama in December 2005.

According to Zarate, "While within the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) the turtles are safe. Industrial fishing was prohibited in the GMR in 1998 and long lining by artisanal fishers was banned in 2005. Our research helps support the efforts of the Galapagos National Park Service to ensure the turtles have sanctuary in Galapagos."

Beyond the 40 mile limit of protected waters that surround the Galapagos archipelago they are however vulnerable to international fishing pressure during migration and in their feeding areas outside the haven created by the GMR.

DC235 was tagged in February 2004 at Las Bachas beach on the northern side of Santa Cruz Island. She was seen regularly during the nesting seasons by Zarate's monitoring team and was recorded laying over 50 eggs during her visits to the nesting sites. These turtles are the only species that actually nest in the islands and the nesting colony of Galapagos is one of the largest in the East Pacific.

Since 2000 the CDF's marine turtle team has investigated the reproductive and foraging activities of the species within the GMR. The CDF now has extensive information about the population size of reproductive females on nesting beaches, the annual hatching rate of juveniles on the nesting beaches, and the effect of predators on nests. Tracking satellite tags placed on 13 turtles from Galapagos show that at least 3 other nesting females have traveled as far as Central America. There they feed, sometimes for several years, building up condition before returning to Galapagos to breed and nest.

A fisherman kept DC235's tag as a keepsake but later handed it to a WWF on-board observer who traced the tag back to the CDF. The WWF project on commercial vessels promotes the use of special hooks designed to reduce the capture and death of non-target species. Several Pacific countries including Ecuador are involved in the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles that aims to reduce incidental fishing of non-target species such as the green turtle by industrial and artisanal fishing fleets. CDF is providing important information about green turtles so that the threats to these peaceful ocean travelers are better understood. Our research enables solutions to be found that contribute to improving fisheries management not just in Galapagos but across the Pacific Ocean.

The importance of the CDF's marine turtle monitoring and the need to improve fishing practices across the globe are highlighted by this sad story of a turtle who will no longer lay eggs in the safe haven of Galapagos. Her contribution to the next generation of this ancient species has been forever lost.