Spent a week volunteering for Jatun Sacha with The Prouty Project and UBELONG in the wet forest/highlands of San Cristobal. They do some amazing work as they tackle the big issue of invasive plant species throughout the island.
Before heading out the Galapagos, we spent an afternoon in Quito at the U.S. Embassy talking to the USDA and USAID regarding the conservation issues currently present in the Galapagos and the attempts to right the ship. Ultimately, the Galapagos archipelago is facing some big problems.
Before heading out the Galapagos, we spent an afternoon in Quito at the U.S. Embassy talking to the USDA and USAID regarding the conservation issues currently present in the Galapagos and the attempts to right the ship. Ultimately, the Galapagos archipelago is facing some big problems.
This guy is around 100 years old. A few of the islands have their own Galapageuros: galapagos tortoise breeding facilities. There are 15 subspecies throughout the islands of the giant tortoise, but through the years, populations have been decimated by whaling and pirate ships that used to patrol the nearby waters. These tortoises can live a year without water, so these vessels would make a stop in the Galapagos and fill their hulls for food over their long journeys. And most recently, these reptiles have been drastically affected by the feral goat population. The goats were eradicated about 10 years ago (in the Galapagos' most successful conservation program to date called the Judas Project where for 3 years they hired sharpshooters in helicopters to kill goats). This has allowed the flora on which the tortoises feed to slowly grow back.
Addendum: RIP Lonesome George 06/24/12 - (note: the above is not George). The loss of Lonesome George is not only sad because this majestic creature is gone after many many years on this planet but so is his subspecies. He was the last of his kind. Another animal extinct.
Addendum: RIP Lonesome George 06/24/12 - (note: the above is not George). The loss of Lonesome George is not only sad because this majestic creature is gone after many many years on this planet but so is his subspecies. He was the last of his kind. Another animal extinct.
This guy is around 100 years old. A few of the islands have their own Galapageuros: galapagos tortoise breeding facilities. There are 15 subspecies throughout the islands of the giant tortoise, but through the years, populations have been decimated by whaling and pirate ships that used to patrol the nearby waters. These tortoises can live a year without water, so these vessels would make a stop in the Galapagos and fill their hulls for food over their long journeys. And most recently, these reptiles have been drastically affected by the feral goat population. The goats were eradicated about 10 years ago (in the Galapagos' most successful conservation program to date called the Judas Project where for 3 years they hired sharpshooters in helicopters to kill goats). This has allowed the flora on which the tortoises feed to slowly grow back.
Addendum: RIP Lonesome George 06/24/12 - (note: the above is not George). The loss of Lonesome George is not only sad because this majestic creature is gone after many many years on this planet but so is his subspecies. He was the last of his kind. Another animal extinct.
Addendum: RIP Lonesome George 06/24/12 - (note: the above is not George). The loss of Lonesome George is not only sad because this majestic creature is gone after many many years on this planet but so is his subspecies. He was the last of his kind. Another animal extinct.