A new study using model predictions has uncovered a likely rapid accumulation of microplastics around Santa Cruz Island, an island in the Galápagos National Park of Ecuador. The model predictions point to an accumulation of plastics sized from 1 micron to less than 5 millimeters in waters around the human-populated island. The researchers behind the […]
A coalition of groups, including a newly formed organization backed by actor Leonardo DiCaprio, have mobilized $43 million for efforts to restore degraded habitats in the Galápagos Islands, an archipelago renowned for its endemic species and central role in scientists’ understanding of ecology and evolution. The Galápagos initiative has three immediate priorities: Helping restore Floreana […]
By Jane Braxton Little Linda J. Cayot’s scientific focus for the day was a male giant tortoise, part of her dissertation research on the ecology of these iconic Galápagos reptiles. When her study animal lumbered into a swirling torrent of muddy El Niño waters, the intrepid scientist jumped in, too. Together they banged against rocks, […]
International marine scientists have discovered 30 new species in the deep waters off the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, highlighting how unique the ecosystems of the islands are as well as how little we know about the deep sea. After Charles Darwin first visited in 1835, the Galapagos became famous for their biodiversity and for their […]
A barge containing 600 gallons of diesel fuel sank off the Galápagos Islands Sunday, prompting fears for the island chain’s unique wildlife. The oil spill occurred off San Cristóbal Island when workers were attempting to load a shipping container onto a barge called the Orca, The New York Times reported. A video shared on social […]
He may be well over 100 years old, but Diego the Tortoise still has plenty of charm and he’s using it to ensure that his species lives on. The giant Galapagos tortoise has been “working” since the 1960s—when there were only 14 wild tortoises, two of which were male, left on Española—to save his native […]
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