Updates from the Galapagos Islands! | September 2024
Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands
We safeguard Galapagos through science and conservation action. Join us!
As cooler marine temperatures settle in, our island mornings continue to be graced with stunning sunrises. (Be sure to catch the beautiful view of Sierra Negra volcano in our top banner!)
This month, we share updates on our latest work, including newly identified areas of the critically endangered Scalesia cordata on Isabela. Explore the insect world in the highlands of Santa Cruz, read about our participation in the Sixth Symposium on Science and Conservation, and learn how our Interdisciplinary Fisheries Department is integrating nature into the nation's economy. We also feature a video interview with Dr. Peter Kramer, one of CDF’s first scientists and Executive Directors, sharing his experiences from the past and why it’s more important than ever today to conserve Galapagos’ unique ecosystems.
There’s plenty to explore, so grab a warm drink, settle in, and enjoy our latest updates.
Latest news & blogs
News: New areas of the critically endangered, Scalesia cordata, discovered on Isabela
Park rangers from the Galapagos National Park, in collaboration with our team, discovered two new Scalesia cordata areas on Sierra Negra, Isabela Island. Immediate conservation actions were taken to protect this critically endangered species, offering hope as the population now exceeds 3,000 trees since 2021. Learn more here
Science on Stage: VI Symposium on Science, Management, and Conservation
Our scientists co-hosted the sixth science and conservation Symposium alongside the Galapagos National Park in honor of our 65th anniversary and to mark 46 years since the archipelago’s declaration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Symposium’s objective is to share the latest updates from key projects with the local community, including schools, guides, other NGOs and interested parties. Learn more here
Nature is Trending: The endemic insects of the Scalesia forest
A recent study by CDF entomologist Jacqueline Rodríguez reveals that the Scalesia pedunculata forest at the Los Gemelos site is home to approximately 21% of the nearly 700 endemic insect species in Galapagos! Read more about this research and why this unique ecosystem is so important: Learn more here
Science on Stage: Integrating nature into the country’s economy
Our interdisciplinary fisheries team presented the results of the consultancy "Design and Development of Ecosystem Accounts for Ecuador’s Insular Exclusive Economic Zone." Checkout how this important milestone integrates nature into the country's economy. Learn more here
CDF in the news:
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Meet our team
We are excited to welcome María Cristina Guerra to the Charles Darwin Foundation as our new Human Resources Director! With 25+ years of experience, her passion for collaboration and positive change aligns perfectly with our mission to conserve the Galapagos.
Check out our latest videos ??
Join us as Dr. Peter Kramer, one of our General Assembly honorary members and former CDF Executive Director, shares his incredible journey—from arriving in the Galapagos as a young scientist in 1962, to building a lifelong connection to the islands, both professionally and personally. In this heartfelt interview, Peter reflects on the unique experience of living in Galapagos, a place where the extraordinary becomes your everyday. He reminds us: don’t come here just for the sun—come for the animals, the plants, and to understand how special this untouched archipelago truly is. ?? Protect Galapagos, Impact the World! ??
Thank you for impacting the world with us!
Since 2018, Sophie Lenoir has been a fundraising hero for the Charles Darwin Foundation through her Tunememi Conservancy, raising over $13,000. Inspired by Lonesome George, she is passionate about protecting seabirds and preventing species extinctions. Her dedication shines in every fundraiser and talk she organizes, and we are deeply grateful for her support in protecting the Galapagos Islands!
Scientific Publications
Rakan A. Zahawi and a team of investigators report a new locality for the Critically Endangered frog Leucostethus bilsa in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, expanding its range and potentially lowering its Critically Endangered IUCN status. The study highlights the importance of small forest reserves for conservation, with further surveys needed to assess population trends. Publication: Range expansion for the Critically Endangered Bilsa white-chested frog (Dendrobatidae: Leucostethus bilsa), demonstrating the importance of small forest reserves in the Ecuadorian Chocó Journal: Check List Date: July, 2024 https://doi.org/10.15560/20.4.853
The avian vampire fly threatens Galapagos birds, as its larval stages parasitize nestlings. Courtney L. Pike and a team of researchers investigated factors that may influence larval development of the avian vampire fly. They found that small tree finch nests had higher nest base temperatures than green warbler finch nests, especially at lower humidity levels; however, they did not find differences in dietary quality between nestlings of these two host species. Warmer conditions likely drive faster larval development in small tree finch nests. Publication: Nest climate and blood quality of two host species of the ectoparasitic Philornis downsi in the Galapagos Islands as factors of larval development Journal: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Date: August, 2024 https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1398353
A team of researchers including CDF scientist Charlotte Causton found that the invasion success of Hemiptera worldwide is driven by both propagule pressure and traits like asexual reproduction. Superfamilies like Aphidoidea are over-represented among invaders, especially in the Sternorrhyncha suborder (aphids, scale insects, and white flies), emphasizing the need for targeted biosecurity measures. Worryingly, the Galapagos archipelago, alongside Hawaii, have the highest percentages of non-native Hemiptera present in the regions evaluated; in Galapagos 43% of the Hemiptera are non-native. Publication: Why so many Hemiptera invasions? Journal: Diversity and Distributions Date: September, 2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13911
Walter Simba?a, Alan Tye, and a team of researchers reclassified two Psychotria endemic species in Galapagos, P. rufipes and P. angustata, as varieties of P. rufipes. Both are threatened by habitat destruction and invasive species, with P. rufipes var. angustata listed as Critically Endangered. Regeneration has improved after the removal of feral ungulates, but invasive plants still pose a threat. Publication: Taxonomic status, distribution and conservation of the critically endangered plant psychotria angustata (rubiaceae), endemic to Floreana island, Galapagos. Journal: Darwiniana, Nueva Serie Date: September, 2024 https://doi.org/10.14522/darwiniana.2024.122.1221
Applied nucleation and spatially patterned restoration methods can help scale up ecological restoration. To make these approaches practical, Rakan A. Zahawi and a team of researchers recommend testing designs at scale, monitoring long-term outcomes, evaluating costs, and using unplanted areas to benefit landholders during restoration efforts. Publication: A call for practical spatially patterned forest restoration methods Journal: Restoration Ecology Date: September, 2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14266
Images courtesy of Camila Bermúdez/CDF, Rashid Cruz/CDF, Joshua Vela, Carlos Espinosa/CDF