Autumn/Winter 2021 - Galapagos Matters - Galapagos Conservation Trust

GALAPAGOSMATTERS 

Plastic 

pollution 

TORTOISE HEALTH 

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AUTUMN | WINTER 2021 

galapagosconservation.org.uk

GALAPAGOSMATTERS 

CONTENTS 

Cover: Plastic pollution is a 

global problem, including 

in Galapagos, and can enter 

the food chain in many 

different ways. A recent 

study, by GCT’s Jen Jones, 

found microplastics in all 

seven species of marine 

invertebrates that they 

studied, including urchins like 

this one, which is covered by 

plastic tape. © Adam Porter 

4-5 Wild Galapagos 

6-7 Galapagos News 

8-11 Plastic pollution in Galapagos 

From her PhD research into the effects of microplastics 

on marine invertebrates to the waste management 

system in Galapagos, GCT’s Jen Jones explores what 

we have learned about plastic pollution since our first 

plastics workshop in Galapagos three years ago. 

12-14 Climate change appeal 

Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing 

species throughout Galapagos. Clare Simm takes a look 

at how the work GCT is doing to reduce plastic pollution 

and unsustainable fishing could lessen its impacts, and 

what you can do to help. 

15 UK News 

16-17 Project Updates 

18 Antibiotic resistance and tortoises 

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a major threat to human 

health and, as humans and animals mix, they have more 

opportunities to evolve. Ainoa Nieto Claudín discusses 

how Galapagos giant tortoises can help us understand 

the processes involved. 

19 Darwin’s Arch 

An iconic symbol of Galapagos, Darwin’s Arch collapsed 

earlier this year, capturing imaginations around 

the world. But, as David Norman tells us, it was an 

inevitable geological occurrence. 

20 Global Relevance 

Jaime Ortiz explores the impacts of the COVID-19 

pandemic on small-scale fisheries and the global 

wildlife trade. 

21-23 Membership, Events and Merchandise 

CONTRIBUTORS 

GCT’s Head of 

Programmes Jen Jones 

has worked with us since 

2011. In addition to 

ensuring our programmes 

have high impact towards 

our conservation and 

sustainability goals, she is 

also an active researcher 

specialising in the impacts 

and solutions for pollution 

in the marine environment, 

particularly plastics. 

Ainoa Nieto Claudín is a 

Spanish wildlife veterinarian 

from Complutense University 

of Madrid. Since 2016, she 

has been the laboratory 

manager of the Charles 

Darwin Research Station, 

and she is also working for 

the Galapagos Tortoise 

Movement Ecology 

Programme as veterinarian 

and researcher. She is 

currently conducting a 

health assessment of 

giant tortoises to better 

understand their health 

status and its implications for 

the conservation of the entire 

ecosystem. 

David Norman is a 

palaeobiologist at the 

University of Cambridge. 

He co-led an expedition 

across Santiago island, 

Galapagos in 2007. As the 

Odell Fellow in Natural 

Sciences at Christ’s College 

he helped set up the Charles 

Darwin-Galapagos Islands 

Trust Fund that promotes 

and encourages research 

on the Archipelago. 

As a molecular ecologist 

Jaime Ortiz is interested 

in conservation genomics. 

Currently, he is working 

with Prof. Nina Therkildsen 

at Cornell University 

on developing tools to 

improve the accuracy 

of meta barcoding for 

species identification. He 

is very passionate about 

conservation of the natural 

environment and strongly 

believes that genetic tools 

can play a more prominent 

role to drive more sustainable 

policies around the world. 

2 GALAPAGOS MATTERS

FROM THE 

CHIEF EXECUTIVE 

by Sharon Johnson 

© Sharon Johnson 

T 

he Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Report released in August 

made distressing reading, but it should have been no surprise with the impacts from 

climate change becoming more rapid, intensifying and wreaking havoc around the 

world. Galapagos is one of the most vulnerable places on Earth and the Report 

highlights alarming ocean warming and sea level rises in the region. 

Climate change will be the focus 

of our Galapagos Day (p. 23), 

which will take place online on 21 

October. Ahead of the UN Climate 

Change Conference (COP26) in 

November, we will share with you our 

plans for addressing the impacts of 

climate change to ensure a more 

sustainable vision for the Galapagos 

Marine Reserve. We will explore 

opportunities to increase resilience 

through the protection of marine 

megafauna and tackling marine 

plastic pollution; and the knock-on 

effects of a warming ocean for local 

livelihoods, as well as the wildlife of 

Galapagos (pp.12-14). 

Plastic not only directly impacts 

wildlife and livelihoods, but it 

fuels the climate crisis. As the 

UK Government on one hand is 

promoting the need to do more 

about the climate crisis, with the other 

it is reneging on its commitments 

to support initiatives to protect the 

environment. As you will have read, 

our UK Government Global Research 

Fund grant for our work to create 

a Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos 

was cut by 64% this year, following 

the Government’s decision to reduce 

overseas aid. 

We have been pressuring the 

Government to reverse its decision 

but, following a defeat in Parliament, 

we now need to search for funds 

to enable this project to continue 

beyond this year (p.13). 

A massive thank you to all those 

who have helped us keep this 

critical programme going this year. 

This has meant activities have been 

able to advance so we understand 

the sources of plastic pollution in 

the Archipelago, its impacts on 

wildlife and the possible solutions 

to combatting it. You can read more 

about this as well as GCT’s Jen Jones’ 

microplastic research on pages 8-11. 

We have also been overwhelmed 

by your support for our Spring 2021 

appeal which raised over £40,000. 

Your donations have been vital at 

a time which has been very difficult 

for so many on the Islands. We are 

working with local farmers, fishers 

and tourist guides to give them their 

first experience of working handson 

delivering conservation activities 

by helping us build a genetic 

library of all species in Galapagos. 

This will assist with a crackdown 

on illegal wildlife smuggling, as 

through genetics we will be able 

to identify the exact origin of a 

species, providing evidence in any 

cases of trafficking (p.20). We know 

that by supporting the livelihoods of 

the Islands’ inhabitants, we will also 

protect its species. This is one of our 

most successful appeals to date, so 

thank you to everyone who donated. 

Sadly, one of the icons of the 

Galapagos landscape, Darwin’s Arch, 

collapsed earlier this year serving as 

a reminder of how fragile our world 

is (p.19). While there is little that we 

as humans can do to stop geological 

processes such as erosion, we can 

help each other as we face the 

climate challenge and protect the 

Islands’ unique and precious species. 

We are so grateful for your support as 

we continue our journey. 

I do hope to see many of you 

virtually at Galapagos Day in October. 

In the meantime, I hope that you 

enjoy this issue of Galapagos Matters. 

Sharon Johnson 

Galapagos Matters is a copyright biannual publication produced for members of Galapagos Conservation Trust. 

The information in this issue was 

obtained from various sources, all 

ISSN 2050-6074 Galapagos 

Matters is printed on paper 

Designer: The Graphic Design House 

Printer: Bishops Printers 

of which have extensive knowledge made from well managed forests 020 7399 7440 

of Galapagos, but neither GCT nor and controlled sources. 

gct@gct.org 

the contributors are responsible Editor: Henry Nicholls 

galapagosconservation.org.uk 

for the accuracy of the contents or Chief Executive: Sharon Johnson 

the opinions expressed herein. Communications Manager: Clare Simm 


3

4 GALAPAGOS MATTERS

WILD 

GALAPAGOS 

Despite a considerable reduction in tourism since the 

start of the pandemic, we were really impressed with the 

volume and standard of photographs in our 2020-2021 

Galapagos Photography Competition. 

This incredible image of a pair of Nazca boobies tending 

to their chick on Española by Leighton Lum won overall 

first place. Nazca boobies catch fish by plunge-diving into 

the waters from heights of up to 30 metres. They consume 

small fish such as sardines, but also eat flying fish, squid 

and anchovies during periods of El Niño, when sardines 

are less abundant in the marine environment. 

You can find this image and 11 other stunning entries in 

our 2022 Galapagos calendar. Find out more on page 23. 

© Leighton Lum 


5

GALAPAGOS 

NEWS 

US$43 MILLION PLEDGED 

FOR GALAPAGOS 

RESTORATION 

© Luis Ortiz Catedral 

In May 2021, Leonardo DiCaprio, the 

Galapagos National Park Directorate, 

Island Conservation and new global 

organisation Re:wild announced US$43 

million to support initiatives to restore 

and rewild the Galapagos Islands. 

The initiative aims to bring together the 

necessary private-public support – 

including governments, foundations, 

individuals, corporations and organisations 

– to meet the scale of the threats to 

Galapagos. The money will be spent over 

the next ten years on a variety of habitatrestoration 

projects, with some of it going 

towards one of Galapagos Conservation 

Trust’s key initiatives, the Floreana 

Restoration Project. This is great news, as 

the eradication phase of project had to be 

postponed in 2020 following the huge 

funding blow caused by the COVID-19 

pandemic. It is now looking likely that the 

eradication of non-native rats and feral cats 

will take place in 2023. There is, however, 

still some funding to raise over the next 

two years to ensure that it can go ahead. 

“These kinds of partnerships that leverage 

technical, social and financial innovations, 

are exactly what we need around the world 

to restore the health of our planet,” said 

Marcelo Mata Guerrero, Ecuador’s Minister 

of Environment and Water. “With Ecuador 

as one of the 17 most biodiverse countries 

on the planet, we have an opportunity here 

to demonstrate what a truly effective model 

looks like for the protection and restoration 

of our shared wildlife and wildlands – 

the immune system of our planet, protecting 

all life on Earth, including people, from the 

effects of climate change and 

emerging disease.” 

Thanks to our donors, GCT has been able 

to spend nearly £600,000 in the last 12 years 

to support the restoration of Floreana, 

providing a strong foundation for this 

ambitious project. All three of our partners 

have recently said how vital our long-term, 

annual investment has been. It has 

provided financial security and helped 

them bring in other, larger funders. After 

many years, it really does feel as though this 

project is about to reach a critical point in 

delivery for the many endangered species 

on Floreana. 

Find out more about the Floreana 

Restoration Project here: 

galapagosconservation.org.uk/projects/ 

restoring-floreana 

6 GALAPAGOS MATTERS

TORTOISE SMUGGLING 

In March 2021, customs officials at 

Baltra airport apprehended a police 

officer attempting to smuggle 185 

Galapagos giant tortoise hatchlings out of 

the Islands. By the time the hatchlings were 

found – wrapped in plastic to keep them 

still and packed inside a suitcase – ten had 

died and a further 12 perished soon after. 

All the hatchlings are thought to have been 

under three-months-old and, as adult 

females lay between two and 16 eggs per 

nest, they would have been taken from 

more than ten wild tortoise nests. It is 

thought that each hatchling could have 

fetched over £3,600. The offending police 

officer was sentenced to three years in 

prison in May, the maximum length of time 

for a wildlife trafficking case in Ecuador. 

© Aeropuerto Ecologico de Galapagos 

FERN THE TORTOISE 

It has been confirmed that Fern, the 

lonely tortoise found on Fernandina in 

2019 during a joint expedition between 

the Galapagos National Park and the 

Galapagos Conservancy, is a Fernandina 

giant tortoise Chelonoidis phantasticus. 

The species was thought to be extinct, 

having last been reported 115 years ago. 

The team will be returning to Fernandina 

to search for other tortoises in the hope 

of finding a male. Despite estimates that 

Fern is around 100 years old, she should 

still be able to breed. 

© Galapagos National Park 

COVID-19 UPDATE 

At the time of going to press, there 

are currently fewer than ten cases of 

COVID-19 in the Galapagos Islands and 

a high percentage of the adult population 

has been vaccinated. However, a report by 

the United Nations Conference on Trade 

and Development (UNCTAD) suggests that 

Ecuador will be one of the countries hardest 

hit by the severe disruption in international 

tourism and could lose 9% of GDP in 2021. 

CHINESE FISHING FLEETS 

Last summer we wrote about a large 

international industrial fishing fleet of 

more than 300 vessels, many of which were 

Chinese, which had caught the public’s 

attention. The fleet enters the waters near 

Galapagos every year to catch squid, but in 

2020 was one of the largest that had been 

reported. In July 2021, the Ecuadorian and 

Chinese governments met to discuss fishing 

activities on the high seas and how the 

countries can cooperate. This included an 

“exchange of scientific information between 

experts from both countries to assist 

in the decision-making process on the 

implementation of moratoriums and other 

measures to protect marine resources.” 

The two countries also agreed to discuss 

proposals to increase observers on board 

vessels on the high seas and other issues 

that would “help to strengthen the control 

of distant fishing activities.” 

PANAMA ACHIEVES 30X30 OCEAN 

PROTECTION GOALS 

On 8 June 2021, the President of 

Panama signed a decree that expands 

the Cordillera de Coiba marine protected 

area to cover over 17,000 km 2 and includes 

several seamounts. This makes Panama a 

Blue Leader, one of a handful of countries 

that has met a Convention on Biological 

Diversity target to protect at least 30% of its 

oceans by 2030. So far Ecuador has 

protected 13% of its waters but GCT is 

working with scientists to provide the 

evidence needed to expand the country’s 

network of marine protected areas. 

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 

PROJECT 

Galapagos has been formally chosen 

as the first province of Ecuador to work 

towards the United Nations’ Sustainable 

Development Goals. In April and May 2021, 

there were several workshops in Galapagos, 

with stakeholders identifying 40 priorities 

for sustainable development and exploring 

the potential interactions between them. 

With these data, the team is building an 

online tool to allow policy makers to 

navigate this network of interactions, 

identify targets to focus resources on and 

understand where efforts are needed to 

mitigate conflicts. They have also launched 

a new initiative – Co-Galapagos – to 

facilitate, and seek funding for, research and 

community projects that support these 40 

targets. More information can be found at 

www.co-galapagos.org. 

GALAPAGOS 2030 VISION 

The Government Council of the Special 

Regime of Galapagos has launched the 

Galapagos 2030 Strategic Plan, a ten-year 

plan for sustainable development and land 

management that recognises the 

importance of investment in the community 

as well as the environment. By improving 

the wellbeing of the Galapagos inhabitants 

and creating safe, inclusive and sustainable 

ways of living, working and learning, the 

strategic plan aims to “strengthen the 

potential and resilience of society and the 

natural environment in Galapagos, and 

support harmonious and responsible 

development in the face of global 

challenges such as climate change, 

biodiversity loss and threats to the oceans.” 

See bit.ly/2VymGyl. 


7

© Jen Jones 

FINDING THE 

SOLUTION TO 

PLASTIC POLLUTION 

by Jen Jones 

H 

ave you ever been 

swimming in water that 

rattles due to the plastic floating 

in it? I have, in a small bay on the 

eastern coast of San Cristobal 

island, a place that hosts a wealth 

of endangered species including 

Galapagos green turtles and 

sea lions. 

That was probably one of the most 

profound moments for me during 

the last three years whilst completing my 

PhD research, investigating the impacts of 

plastics on the marine food web. I feel a 

huge privilege doing research in this special 

place after many years working at GCT, 

trying to add a little piece of knowledge to 

our collective efforts to reduce the problems 

of plastic waste accumulating in the natural 

environment. 

During this study, I have counted and 

categorised more than 10,000 pieces of 

plastic in the quest to trace the source of 

pollution we find in Galapagos. I have worked 

with more than 50 dedicated high-school 

and university students to find out if citizen 

science can be part of the solution to monitor 

plastic pollution over time. I have also been 

pooed on by a marine iguana, have patiently 

waited for a sea lion to stop her game with 

our snorkel survey transect tape, and have 

spent more hours than I care to remember 

painstakingly sieving sand in the scorching 

equatorial sun to extract tiny microplastics 

from the sand. 

I’ve often heard people talk about how 

little the Galapagos Islands have changed 

since Charles Darwin’s visit with the HMS 

Beagle crew back in 1835. The major caveat 

that tends to come with that statement 

is “well, except from the plastic that is!”. 

8 GALAPAGOS MATTERS

“This rainbow of 

plastic pieces... 

is a visible sign 

of our global 

consumerism.” 

Flightless cormorant on nest full of plastic pollution © Greg Lewbart 

Surveying Cabo Douglas beach on Fernandina for microplastics © Greg Lewbart 

This rainbow of plastic pieces, my study 

species if you will, is a visible sign of our 

global consumerism. Coming in all shapes 

and sizes, this anthropogenic signature is 

littered around coastlines with an erratic 

distribution. In some bays, there is a 

staggering amount of plastic accumulated 

(such as the one with the rattling water), 

whereas others, just a kilometre away, are 

completely pristine with no accumulation 

happening. 

Tracing the sources and drivers of this plastic 

waste, defining the impacts on wildlife and 

society, and implementing solutions are the 

key elements of GCT’s Plastic Pollution Free 

Galapagos programme. A lot has happened 

in the last three years since our first ‘Science 

to Solutions’ workshop in Galapagos when 

we mapped out our major knowledge gaps 

with researchers, managers, business owners 

and community groups. Here is a summary of 

what we have learned so far. 

The majority of plastics we find on 

remote beaches are floating into the 

Galapagos Marine Reserve on ocean 

currents. Oceanographic models show that 

floating plastics that reach the Islands from 

continental South America are most likely to 

be entering the ocean in mainland Ecuador 

or Peru. There is very limited current flow to 

the Islands from the west; plastic entering the 

ocean here is more likely to be carried out 

to the great oceanic gyres (plastic garbage 

patches), transported away from the Islands 

due to the upwelling. We also know that 

marine industries, such as industrial fishing, 

contribute a significant proportion. What 

that proportion is is too early to say with any 

certainty, but it is likely to be at least 30%. 

Like most places, there are still 

local inputs of plastic pollution in 

Galapagos. Street litter data show that 

plastic pollution – such as cigarette butts, 

food wrappers and construction waste - 

increases as you get further away from the 

sea, and microplastics are found in higher 

densities in seawater around the harbour 

in San Cristobal, suggesting that it has 

come from local sources such as wastewater 

(e.g. microplastic fibres from laundry). 

The composition of plastic pollution 

on beaches is highly variable. Most of the 

plastics we find are fragments, suggesting 

that plastic items are breaking down on the 

beaches, perhaps speeded up by the high UV 

radiation (which breaks down plastics) on the 

equator. Over 20% of the identifiable items 

we find are linked with the drinks industry, 

with plastic bottles, lids and bottle rings very 

commonly found across all the islands that we 

collected samples from. Ropes are the next 

most common item group and toothbrushes, 

pens and food containers follow closely 

behind. 

Animals are consuming microplastics but 

harm is currently unknown. We sampled 

seven species of marine invertebrates for 

evidence of microplastic ingestion. These 

included oysters, urchins, sea cucumbers, 

snails and barnacles. All of these species 

interact differently with their habitat and have 

different feeding habits. For example, some 

are filter feeders, consuming particles from 

the water column whilst others are grazers, 

scraping hard surfaces to eat films of algae. 


9

A Galapagos sea lion attempting to steal our transect tape during 

snorkel surveys © Jen Jones 

The fact that microplastics were found in all 

of them suggest that there are many ways 

that plastics can enter the food web. 

Although we know that these animals 

are consuming microplastics, we do not yet 

know what harm this is causing. In lab studies 

with other marine species, we know that 

microplastic can accumulate inside the body 

and can reduce the fitness of animals, affecting 

feeding and reproductive health. The solution 

here is to reduce microplastics leaking into the 

environment (e.g. by better filtration in water 

treatment plants) and to take larger plastics 

out of the system before they disintegrate into 

microplastics. 

We know that more than 30 different 

marine vertebrates have been entangled in 

plastic waste. Photographic evidence showing 

injuries caused by plastics to wildlife such as 

sea lions and turtles demonstrates the need 

to remove these items from the environment. 

Clean up of plastics from beaches must 

continue whilst we are working on longer term 

solutions to reduce the use of plastics. 

We have identified the tools needed to 

support management and monitoring of 

plastics – and citizen scientists are key. A 

combination of oceanographic models, drone 

surveys and beach survey procedures are 

being developed into a toolkit that is already 

being followed in the Cocos Island National 

Park, Costa Rica. We are not far from being 

able to predict where and when the plastic 

arrives, and therefore remove it quickly. This 

will lower the risk of entanglement or ingestion 

by animals and prevent the formation of 

microplastics which are impossible to remove. 

Citizen scientists help us to sample plastics in 

more places over longer time periods, either 

collecting data themselves from their local 

areas or by helping to analyse photographic 

data online. 

There is strong 

motivation at every level 

to act on plastic waste 

in Galapagos. There are 

more than 25 community 

initiatives in Galapagos 

promoting clean ups, 

selling products made 

from up-cycled plastics, 

and zero waste shops. 

At a political level, plastics 

and waste management 

are important elements 

of the Galapagos 2030 

Plan, recently released by 

the Governing Council of 

Galapagos to lay out the 

blueprint to achieve the 

UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 

(see page 7). In addition to this local support, 

international tourism businesses are also keen 

to hear recommendations to improve their 

sustainability. 

To move from science to solutions, 

we must work at a regional level. In 2021, 

in partnership with the University of Exeter and 

17 regional partners, we launched the ‘Pacific 

Plastics: Science to Solutions’ network to 

build the foundations we need to amplify our 

plastics work to the scale required (see Box). 

Conclusion: We can’t stop now. Great 

progress has been made in the fight against 

plastic pollution in Galapagos but the problem 

on a global scale is continuing to grow, 

not least due to the increase in single-use 

plastics and reduction in funding for waste 

management during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To make an impact in the long term, we must 

continue to work on reducing the pressure on 

our oceans in a holistic way. We need you to 

join us on this journey! See page 14 to find 

out how you can help. 

Microplastics extracted from (left to right) a barnacle and a pencil sea urchin © Jen Jones 

Sample of plastics collected from a 

50m stretch of beach © Naomi Hart 

PACIFIC PLASTICS: SCIENCE 

TO SOLUTIONS NETWORK 

Led by the University 

of Exeter and GCT 

Launched in 

2021 FOUR 

year programme 

17 

partner organisations 

40+ 

researchers 

• Working in Ecuador, Peru and Chile 

• Aiming to deliver the science we 

need to understand the plastic waste 

problem at a regional scale and 

identify opportunities for change 

• Supporting solutions that work for 

communities in the long-term 

• Promoting equality, diversity and 

inclusion to strengthen research 

capacity 

• Developing practical tools for 

monitoring and management 

pacificplasticssciencetosolutions.com 

“ 

Being a Regional Manager has 

changed my perspectives about how to 

address the problem of plastic pollution. 

I think collaboration at all levels and 

sectors is essential. This has been 

inspired by working alongside scientists, 

practitioners, NGOs and civil society 

members putting their professional 

expertise, and even personal energy, 

to really try to change an economic 

model deeply grounded in fast and 

single-use consumption by working 

together, exchanging knowledge 

and techniques and supporting each 

other’s ideas and projects. 

“ 

Sol Espinosa, PPSS Regional Manager 

10 GALAPAGOS MATTERS

GALAPAGOS WASTE MANAGEMENT 

REPORT 2021 

THE ORGANIC WASTE FRONTIER 

In April 2021, GCT commissioned a report on waste 

management in Galapagos, delivered by a team of 

sustainability engineers at OrcaTec. This report describes 

the development of the waste management systems on 

the Islands, the challenges experienced in maintaining 

them and identifies opportunities for future solutions. 

Recycling bins © GCT 

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BINS 

Galapagos was the first province in Ecuador to have 

a waste-management system with ‘separation at source’, 

starting first in Santa Cruz in 2003, in San Cristobal in 

2007 and in Isabela in 2011. Waste is sorted into three 

bins – a blue one for recyclables, a green one for organic 

waste and a black one for non-recyclables. This waste is 

transported to municipality-managed waste-management 

and recycling sites where recyclable materials are sorted 

and prepared for transport to the mainland. Unfortunately, 

due to contamination, a lot of waste is destined for 

landfill within the Islands themselves, all of which are 

close to, or exceeding capacity, which raises major 

environmental concerns. 

COST OF WASTE MANAGEMENT 

Waste generation in Galapagos has increased from 

18.8 tons per day in 2010 to 28.6 tons per day in 2019, 

increasing by 66% in just ten years – reflecting the growth 

in tourist numbers and the local population. In 2010, 

land-based tourism took over from cruise-based tourism 

as the most common way to experience the Islands, 

increasing local waste production and pressure on 

collection systems. It is now estimated that it costs US$200 

to manage each ton of waste produced in Galapagos; 

approximately US$2.1 million per year. Around 12% of this 

waste is estimated to be plastics meaning that the local 

population and tourists may be generating up to 1,253 

tons of plastics annually. 

A Veolia study in 2019 showed that organic food waste 

makes up most of the waste generated per capita in 

Galapagos (more than 50%). Although food waste is 

collected, many community members store it in plastic 

bags which means it cannot be composted due to 

contamination by plastics. The report recognises that 

compost solutions for households could be a great way 

to reduce the burden on waste management systems, 

in addition to working with pig farmers that can feed 

their livestock with organic food matter. We are currently 

seeking funding for pilot compost projects. 

KEEPING UP COMMUNICATIONS 

There have been many NGO efforts over time to raise 

awareness of the importance of good waste management 

and recycling, most notably by WWF and local NGO, 

Fundar. There is still a need for campaigns for local 

communities and tourists however, with pilot data 

suggesting that many people are not aware of existing 

schemes or the potential for new alternative products 

and recycling methods. 

DESIGNING OUT POLLUTION 

The ‘circular economy’ is based on the principle of 

designing out pollution and waste, keeping products in 

circulation for longer and ensuring sustainable disposal 

is considered at the design stage. In addition to reducing 

the amount of waste produced and the associated 

burden on waste-management systems, there is also 

less reliance on the extraction of raw materials from 

the natural environment, such as fossil fuels in the 

case of plastic. Ultimately, we are striving for a circular 

economy for plastics in Galapagos to not only reduce 

the environmental footprint of plastics but also to provide 

much-needed alternative livelihood options. 

Cardboard destined for the mainland © GCT 

GCT would like to extend our thanks to Max Martin, Nuria Estrella, Andrea Garzón and Andrea Dahik 

for producing this report. 


11

FUTURE OCEANS: 

CLIMATE CHANGE, OVERFISHING 

AND POLLUTION 

By Clare Simm 

C 

limate change is probably the single biggest threat facing the 

world’s biodiversity. If humans continue to live as we do today, 

rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events will 

cause widespread extinction. Whilst most policies created by world 

leaders focus on the crucial goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, 

we must also protect the natural ecosystem services that are already 

combatting climate change. 

O 

ne of the key goals of the UN Climate 

Change Conference of the Parties 

(COP26) in November 2021 is to ‘protect 

communities and natural habitats.’ Preserving 

ecological integrity gives populations and 

communities a greater chance of withstanding 

the impacts of a changing climate. This, in 

turn, will protect local communities and 

livelihoods. 

We know that climate change is already 

having an impact on a range of terrestrial 

species, affecting the food availability, 

nesting success and habitat structure of 

animals like the giant tortoise. Marine species 

will be affected too, with consequences 

for fish, sharks, turtles and seabirds like 

penguins, the flightless cormorant and the 

boobies that depend on the resources of 

the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) for 


FOREIGN AID CUTS 

In late 2020, GCT secured a UK Government 

Global Research Fund grant of £1.5 million over 

four years towards our work to create a Plastic 

Pollution Free Galapagos. The grant would have 

allowed us and our partners to build on existing 

initiatives in the Galapagos Marine Reserve 

and the wider region to trial interventions 

to combat major pollution sources in the 

Eastern Pacific Ocean. 

Devastatingly, as a result of the UK 

Government’s decision to reduce overseas aid 

in early 2021, our grant was cut by 64% this year. 

This not only puts at risk the highly vulnerable 

Galapagos marine ecosystem and local 

livelihoods that depend on it, but also the UK’s 

reputation as a trusted international partner and 

global environmental leader. 

The people in Galapagos are under huge 

pressure following the pandemic. With around 

80% of the Galapagos economy depending 

on tourism, this project would have employed 

some of those who are struggling the most. 

With COP26 taking place in Glasgow in 

November, climate change is at the forefront 

of many people’s minds, and we have made 

a special plea to the UK government about the 

important role of solving the plastic issue in our 

fight against climate change. 

Following the news of the cuts, we refocussed 

activities, launched a fundraising drive and spent 

time lobbying MPs, submitting evidence and 

drafting parliamentary questions. Your support 

has been incredible during this time, and we 

want to thank you for your help. At the time of 

writing in August, we have raised an incredible 

£75,000 against our £100,000 shortfall for 2021. 

In July, a vote on the cuts was defeated in 

Parliament by just 35 votes, and it looks likely 

the cuts will continue in future years. COVID-19 

has caused huge economic pressures, but this is 

not a time to stop working against the increasing 

pressures on our planet. 

Conserving sharks has important implications for mitigating climate change © Simon Pierce 

their survival. If stress on the GMR continues, 

it will inevitably impact the productivity 

of Ecuador’s commercial fisheries. 

THE GALAPAGOS 

MARINE RESERVE 

The Galapagos Marine Reserve was created 

in 1998, largely due to concerns about the 

impacts of long-line fishing and decreasing fish 

stocks. At that time, covering an ocean area of 

133,000 km 2 , it was the second largest marine 

protected area in the world. Today there are 

many reserves that are larger, though the GMR 

remains a protected area of global importance. 

Upwellings of nutrient-rich water around 

Galapagos support an abundance of marine 

life. This attracts vast industrial and artisanal 

fishing fleets to the region, including 

Ecuadorian vessels using nets or long-lines, 

as well as ships from elsewhere in the world. 

Models produced by the Intergovernmental 

Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2019 

indicate that although climate change will 

likely result in a reduction in fishing catch 

around Galapagos over the next 40 years, it 

will probably not be as severe as in the rest 

of the Eastern Tropical Pacific region, such as 

along the coast of South America. Therefore, 

as climate change and overfishing contribute 

to the collapse of fish populations elsewhere, 

there has been and will continue to be an 

increase in the fishing intensity surrounding 

the relative sanctuary of the GMR. Fisheries 

act as contributors to global greenhouse 

gas emissions and cause a myriad of 

environmental impacts throughout the entire 

supply chain, but these impacts have not been 

comprehensively investigated. 

Plastic pollution is also a problem in the fight 

against climate change. According to a report 

by the Center for International Environmental 

Law in 2019, greenhouse gases are emitted 

at every stage of the plastic lifecycle from 

extracting fossil fuels to managing plastic 

waste. The report says that in 2019, the global 

production and incineration of plastic was 

estimated to produce more than 850 million 

metric tons of greenhouse gases – the same 

as 189 huge 500-megawatt coal-fired power 

stations. In addition, early evidence suggests 

that plastic at the ocean’s surface continues 

to release methane and other greenhouse 

gases, which increases as the plastic breaks 

down further. There are also worries that 

microplastics in the oceans may affect the 

ocean’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide. 


13

PROTECTING 

GALAPAGOS’ 

SPECIES 

Sharks play an important role in keeping our 

oceans ecologically balanced and able to 

act as an effective carbon sink. Conserving 

sharks, therefore, has important implications 

for mitigating climate change as well as 

sustaining essential ecosystem services 

and livelihoods for coastal communities. 

However, although Ecuador does not formally 

recognise a shark fishery, the artisanal 

long-line fleet continues to land more 

than 250,000 sharks every year and simply 

declares them as ‘bycatch’. 

GCT is working with its partners to provide 

the evidence needed to create new marine 

protected areas beyond the current boundary 

of the GMR, including vital migratory 

corridors through the Eastern Tropical 

Pacific. This should benefit important marine 

wildlife as well as fisheries both within the 

GMR and outside its border. However, this 

has been met with strong resistance from 

some groups within the Ecuadorian fleet as 

it undertakes more than 20% of its activity 

within Galapagos’ exclusive economic zone. 

A better dialogue is needed to explore new 

opportunities, such as economic incentives 

for sustainable fishing through certification 

schemes and beneficial supply chains. 

It is of vital importance to GCT that 

we reduce the destructive impact of 

climate change on the Islands’ unique 

and vulnerable species whilst supporting 

sustainable livelihoods in Galapagos. 

Due to climate change, there will continue to be an increase in the fishing intensity 

in and around the Galapagos Marine Reserve © Jen Jones 

Plastic pollution © John Fiske 

APPEAL 

A range of species, including Galapagos penguins, are being affected by climate change © Jonathan Green 

WHAT CAN YOU 

DO TO HELP? 

Climate Change Appeal 

GCT is working towards a more 

sustainable vision for the GMR. We 

want to increase the resilience of the 

Galapagos artisanal fishery to the 

threats of climate change and marine 

plastic pollution. By protecting the 

environment, we can help to stabilise 

climate change and, in turn, protect the 

wildlife of Galapagos, local livelihoods 

and the ecosystem services needed by 

the international community. 

• £50 could sponsor the sampling 

of a shark pup to understand 

more about potential climate 

change effects 

• £100 could help fund a weather 

station to engage the Galapagos 

community in climate monitoring 

• £350 could fund a beach plastics 

survey with a local youth group 

to generate essential data on 

plastic pollution sources 

Please donate whatever you can today 

by using the form on the back page, 

visiting galapagosconservation.org.uk/ 

donate or calling us on 020 7399 7440. 

GCT is registered with the Fundraising 

Regulator. 

Share Your Pledges 

Whether you are trying to reduce the 

plastic waste in your household by 

buying loose fruit and vegetables, 

minimise your carbon footprint by 

cycling instead of driving, or protecting 

the world’s ocean resources by eating 

more sustainably-sourced fish – we want 

to know! Please share your pledges 

with us by either sending them to us 

by 15 October using the reply envelope 

enclosed with this magazine, or by 

emailing gct@gct.org with the subject 

line: My pledge is… 

Come to Galapagos Day 

This year’s Galapagos Day will be 

looking at climate change and the 

oceans – find out more on page 23. 


UK 

NEWS 

CONNECTING 

WITH NATURE 

WEBINAR 

Thank you so much to everyone who 

attended our ‘Connecting with 

Nature’ webinar on 13 May. We hope 

you found it interesting. Almost 250 people 

registered from 19 different countries, 

showing that there is international support 

for education and conservation on 

the Islands. 

During these challenging times, it is 

important that we continue our education 

and outreach activities to ensure that the 

young people in Galapagos become more 

connected to their environment. Through a 

series of short videos and talks, the webinar 

explored how we engage children and 

teenagers throughout their education, and 

how we encourage them, and their families, 

to protect the Islands and its wildlife and 

ensure that Galapagos remains a place 

of wonder. 

We hope that you enjoyed hearing from 

some of the people we are helping, as well 

as the inspiring women who are encouraging 

the people on the Islands to have a closer 

connection with nature. People often find it 

surprising to learn that children and adults 

in Galapagos do not get to see much of the 

wildlife that tourists flock there to enjoy. 

A special thank you goes to our host and 

speakers: David de Rothschild, Jen Jones, 

Ashleigh Klingman, Diana Pazmiño and 

Anne Guézou. 

If you missed it, or would like to 

watch it again, you can do so here: 

youtu.be/oV1AL2xL_hM 

EDUCATION AND 

OUTREACH IN THE UK 

Our Education Writer and primary school teacher, Sarah Langford, 

was approached by the Charles Darwin Primary school in Cheshire to help 

with a whole school project on Charles Darwin and the voyage of HMS Beagle. 

They were keen to find out more about the school’s namesake. They successfully 

delivered a three-week whole school cross-curricular project, ending with the most 

wonderful displays of their work around the school. Sarah shared our Discovering 

Galapagos resources with the teachers, gave a presentation to 200 children, and 

they also read our Marti the Hammerhead Shark: A Galapagos Journey storybook. 

Here is some of their artwork: 

© Charles Darwin Primary 

GALAPAGOS-COCOS SWIMWAY CHALLENGE 

Between May and August 2021, we 

set the challenge to swim, walk, run, 

cycle or wheelchair the length of the 

proposed Galapagos-Cocos Swimway - 

raising over £4,500! 

76 people from nine countries 

including Ecuador and the UK took 

part in the 700 mile (125 km) challenge. 

Bronwen joined in from Australia. “I 

completed 425 km of the challenge 

before my arthritis forced me to retire. 

A pound for each km! Fingers crossed 

for the Galapagos-Cocos Swimway!” 

The whole GCT staff split into two 

teams, Team There and Team Back 

Again, finishing the challenge in an 

impressive 23 and 28 days, and raising 

almost £2,000! 

Head to our blog 

galapagosconservation.org.uk/ 

galapagos-cocos-swimway-challenge 

to read more stories from participants 

in the challenge. Thank you to everyone 

who took part and donated! 

After her GCT team finished, GCT’s Beth 

repeated the challenge solo by cycling 

and walking © Nathan Harrison 

UNIVERSITY OF EXETER INTERNSHIPS 

GCT hosted four internships from the University of Exeter this year. The interns, Will Seymour, Helen Wooldridge, Lizzie 

Laybourne and Millie Green, undertook an eight-week placement with the GCT Programmes team where they each studied 

a different research topic to feed into their final Masters dissertation. The topics were on sustainable tourism, plastic alternatives, 

local green initiatives and citizen science. For GCT, this research will support our sustainability and education programmes. 

Keep an eye on our blog where we will share the results of their research. galapagosconservation.org.uk/blog 


15

PROJECT 

UPDATES 

COCOS-GALAPAGOS SWIMWAY EXPEDITION A SUCCESS 

I 

n May 2021, a scientific expedition set sail from Cocos island, Costa Rica to undertake a round trip 

to Galapagos and back, following the proposed ‘Galapagos-Cocos Swimway’, a migratory route 

identified as being critical to the health of the ocean. The data collected and subsequent analysis will 

provide further scientific evidence to push this project to completion. 

© Migramar 

The expedition team, supported by GCT and 

led by research network MigraMar, covered 

more than 1,500 miles over the course of 20 

days. Stopping at six sites, including several 

seamounts, scientists carried out satellite and 

acoustic tagging of sharks and fish, deployed 

Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) 

stations and collected environmental DNA 

(eDNA) samples to learn more about marine 

biodiversity. 

During the Swimway expedition, the 

team tagged several pelagic shark species 

including a tiger shark at Cocos island and 

an Endangered thresher shark within the 

Swimway. The tracks from these open-water 

species will help us understand how they 

use the islands and seamounts we are trying 

to protect. 

The BRUV stations that we have deployed 

around the Galapagos Marine Reserve 

(GMR) and in the Swimway over the last two 

years have significantly grown our video 

database. Analysis of this footage will help us 

characterise what species use these areas and 

their abundance. Furthermore, training local 

scientists to deliver BRUV surveys will enable 

long-term monitoring in the GMR. 

In 2020, the landing and sale of oceanic 

white tip sharks and four species of 

hammerhead were banned in Ecuador, a first 

step in strengthening the National Sharks Plan. 

In addition to contributing to this momentous 

outcome, our data, especially those collected 

in the Swimway, were an integral part of a 

white paper presented to the Ecuadorian 

president this summer outlining the need for 

expanded protections in this region. 

This expedition benefited from the support 

of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. 

BRUVs have captured images of species such as green turtle (L) © GSC, Coryphaena hippurus (top R) © GSC and tiger shark (bottom R) © Migramar 


SUPPORTING LOCAL LIVELIHOODS 

IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 

GCT would like to thank all our supporters for their 

outstanding generosity this year. With your support we 

have been able to continue to fund local jobs, including our two 

outreach coordinators Anne Guézou and Leidy Apolo, open 

new opportunities for local people, such as through our Barcode 

Galapagos project and, in spite of the challenges posed by 

the COVID-19 pandemic, ensure children and young adults in 

Galapagos receive a quality education. 

ENGAGING LOCAL CHILDREN WITH THEIR 

ENVIRONMENT 

Children from Isabela with their awards 

for participating in the tortoise mini-course 

© Ernesto Bustamante 

Since March 2020, Galapagos schools have been shut for 

in-person learning and, as of July 2021, only a handful of schools 

have reopened. This, coupled with poor internet across the Islands 

and families being unable to afford IT equipment, has meant that 

many children have been without formal education for over a year. 

Anne, GCT’s 

Outreach 

Coordinator, 

has been busy 

developing and 

implementing virtual 

outreach activities 

on the Islands. 

A highlight was 

providing a fourpart 

mini-course 

on the biology, 

distribution, threats 

and importance of 

Galapagos giant tortoises for 17 young people from Isabela. Due to 

bad internet access and local lockdowns, this course was delivered 

though text messages, images, audio and videos on WhatsApp, a tool 

commonly used to deliver educational activities in Galapagos during 

the pandemic. Since the Islands started to re-open, Anne has supported 

ongoing microplastic surveys with youth groups and is training citizen 

scientists at a beach on Santa Cruz. In March, she was able to take 30 

eight- to ten-year-olds enrolled in the Galapagos National Park’s holiday 

programme into the field to study giant tortoises in person – a highlight 

for the kids involved after a year of lockdown. 

Daniel looking for juvenile sharks © Alex Hearn 

DEEPENING THE COMMITMENT OF YOUNG 

CONSERVATION LEADERS 

GCT supports internships and junior roles within our 

programmes, helping tomorrow’s scientists gain valuable skills 

and experience as well as engage with local conservation action. 

To date, GCT has supported ten eight-week internships at 

the Galapagos Science Center. Each intern works with Outreach 

Coordinator Leidy Apolo to create ideas and content for community 

events and run sessions for local schoolchildren focused on biodiversity. 

Roles such as these support our scientists and outreach leaders on the 

ground and are essential to ensuring our projects have enough capacity 

to run, as well as providing training and development opportunities for 

the young people participating. 

“I learned to lose a bit of fear of recording myself, either on 

audio or video, since it was required to do so for the guided 

reading sessions and, although at first I was nervous about talking 

to the children, little by little I developed,” says Dagfin Sotomayor, 

Connecting with Nature Intern. 

In February, GCT funded a new Shark and Ray Research Assistant, 

Daniel Armijos, to join the Galapagos Science Center research team. 

Daniel, now a trained drone pilot, is undertaking regular drone surveys 

around San Cristobal to monitor shark nursery sites. He also helps to 

run a study tagging baby hammerhead sharks, blacktip sharks and rays 

in these nurseries so we can learn more about how they interact with 

each other and their habitat. Further out to sea, Daniel has participated 

in field trips to tag yellowfin tuna and sunfish and deploy underwater 

cameras, both essential tools for understanding how marine species use 

the Galapagos Marine Reserve. With your continued support we have 

been able to extend Daniel’s paid internship until the end of the year, 

allowing this vital research to continue and supporting the early stages 

of his marine science career. 

© Vanessa Green 

GALAPAGOS SEA CUCUMBER EMERGENCY: 

FUNDING SCIENCE TO TACKLE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE 

Sea cucumbers, although not a well-known group of species, are economically important globally 

(see Global Relevance on page 20). In response to the unanticipated burden that COVID-19 has had on 

local livelihoods, the Galapagos National Park unexpectedly announced the reopening of the brown sea 

cucumber fishery for the first time in ten years. The fishery, with a quota of 600,000 animals, was open for a 

maximum of 60 days from July to September. This is a devastating outcome for the brown sea cucumber 

(Isostichopus fuscus), which is endangered due to severe over-exploitation in the past from which the 

population has yet to recover. While little could be done to prevent the fishery reopening, it did offer the 

unique opportunity to sample harvested sea cucumbers to study their DNA, data that will provide crucial 

scientific evidence in efforts to mitigate unsustainable and illegal extraction in the future. GCT is supporting 

two Galapagos-born scientists, Jaime Ortiz and Diana Pazmiño, to undertake this research and, through our 

Barcode Galapagos project, will pay local technicians to process the samples in the lab. The results of this 

analysis will feed into plans to better protect these highly trafficked species in Galapagos’ waters. 

This project demonstrates the increasing importance of genetics in conservation, allowing the origins 

of illegally trafficked sea cucumbers ending up in Asian markets to be traced. 


17

HUMAN ACTIVITY DRIVES 

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN 

GALAPAGOS TORTOISES 

© Ainoa Nieto / CDF 

by Ainoa Nieto Claudín 

S 

cientists have identified the presence of antibiotic resistance in 

the emblematic Galapagos giant tortoises that live alongside 

humans. These results confirm that these reptiles, known to be 

excellent engineers of their ecosystems, are also sentinels of ecosystem 

health, acting as indicator species for the emergence of new strains of 

antibiotic-resistant bacteria, one of the greatest threats to public health 

around the globe. 

To conduct this study, scientists from 

Charles Darwin Foundation, Saint Louis 

Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, and 

Complutense University of Madrid collected 

faecal samples from two populations of giant 

tortoise. On Santa Cruz, the island with the 

largest human population in the Archipelago, 

they sampled a total of 200 tortoises on cattle 

and tourist farms, near urban settlements 

and within protected areas. As a comparison, 

the team climbed Alcedo Volcano on Isabela 

island to collect samples from a species 

that has little or no contact with humans. 

Researchers in Spain carried out the analysis 

of these samples, looking for bacteria with 

genes encoding resistance to antibiotics 

commonly used in human and veterinary 

medicine. The results were conclusive: 

tortoises on Santa Cruz have gut bacteria with 

more antimicrobial genes than the tortoises 

on Alcedo. Moreover, the tortoises living in 

the more modified habitats of Santa Cruz, 

near towns and on cattle farms, carry the 

most antibiotic-resistant bacteria of all. 

Giant tortoises are key species for Galapagos 

ecosystems and are considered ‘ecosystem 

engineers’, modifying ecosystems where 

they thrive and disperse seeds. Galapagos 

tortoises are also migratory on islands 

like Santa Cruz, where they leave the 

protection of the National Park and enter 

private lands every year during their annual 

migration. For up to six months a year these 

tortoises will share habitat with humans, 

exposing them to cars, plastic pollution 

and pesticides, but clearly also strains of 

antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

The spread of drug-resistant bacteria in 

human populations is of concern because 

it makes treatment of bacterial infections 

more difficult. As humans and animals mix, 

antibiotic-resistant bacteria are finding their 

way into the wider ecosystem, particularly 

in places like Ecuador where antibiotics 

can be obtained without prescription. The 

presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in 

wild species increases the opportunity for 

the evolution of new, more resistant strains, 

further compromising and complicating 

the treatment of diseases in both humans 

and animals. Everyone in Galapagos must 

combine efforts to address this emerging 

threat to the health of local inhabitants, 

domestic animals and wildlife species. 

This project was conducted in collaboration 

with the Galapagos National Park Directorate, 

The Charles Darwin Foundation, Saint Louis 

Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, 

Complutense University of Madrid, European 

University of Madrid, and the INIA-CISA 

laboratory in Madrid. 

© Juan Manuel García / CDF 


Darwin’s Arch before its collapse © Jonathan Green 

Darwin’s ‘Pillars’ © Quique Moran 

DARWIN’S ARCH 

COLLAPSES 

by David Norman 

D 

arwin’s Arch was located 

in the far northwest of 

the Galapagos Archipelago on a 

shallow coastal platform of rock 

surrounding Darwin island. 

A beautiful and iconic natural rock arch, 

its remote location within the context of the 

Archipelago meant that it was only really 

well-known to the diving community and the 

occasional cruise ship. The shallow-water 

shelf and reef conditions are perfect for 

divers interested in the marine biota and the 

backdrop offered by the natural arch added 

an accidental grandeur to the setting that 

was just awe inspiring. Sadly the remorseless 

passage of time and the natural process 

of erosion led to the inevitable collapse 

of the Arch at 11.20am on Monday 17 May, 

witnessed only by a group of divers. 

Darwin, of course, never saw the Arch 

or visited this part of Galapagos, but the 

symbolism that generated the name is deeply 

resonant. The ‘arc’ of his incredibly ambitious 

project; to understand and integrate the 

geological and biological processes that 

provide the Earth with its unique power, 

dynamism and life are echoed in that arch. 

The rock arch formed a geological picture 

frame, built by dynamic Earth, through which 

it was possible to observe and appreciate the 

productivity of the constantly churning sea, as 

well as the verdant covering of Darwin island 

and its wind-buffetted bird life. 

Today only the stone pillars that supported 

the Arch remain. These remaining stacks 

have, perhaps not surprisingly, been 

nicknamed ‘The Pillars of Evolution’, 

maintaining the Darwinian connection by 

tying them to a dominant theme of Darwin’s 

research; his demonstration that species 

evolve over time by the process of natural 

selection. 

From a geologist’s perspective, the former 

Arch and remnant pillars are composed of 

layers of cracked and eroded basalt, rather 

like huge stone slabs stacked one upon 

the other. The original layers were formed 

from pulses of laval eruption from a volcanic 

cone, the remains of which make up Darwin 

island around 1km to the northeast. Each 

layer cooled and solidified and began to be 

eroded by sun, wind and rain before being 

buried beneath another layer of lava. 

The layers, once solidified, would have been 

cracked at times by earthquakes (upheavals 

and bucklings of the Earth’s crust) associated 

with the local vulcanism (a process observed 

and described so eloquently by Darwin 

himself). Differential erosion of the benches 

of lava led ultimately to the remarkable 

preservation of this arch of more consolidated 

rock, but erosion is remorseless and the 

structure was bound to fall. The failure 

and collapse is entirely natural and is an 

illustration of how Earth and life are tied 

together in a process of endless change 

and modification. 

We have lost the Arch, and in time we will 

lose the pillars too, to the slow, corrosive 

effect of erosion. Earth changes; continents 

move, oceans and atmospheric patterns 

alter with the passage of time and ‘we’ 

(organisms as a whole) have to be able to 

adapt accordingly, painful and emotional 

(in the case of Darwin’s Arch) though change 

may be. If we don’t adapt then our fate will 

be sealed in extinction. As a species, we have 

to work for our right to exist, as Darwin so 

clearly understood. But do we? The collapse 

of Darwin’s Arch poses this question: will we 

be able to adapt to the rapid changes taking 

place around us? 


19

GLOBAL RELEVANCE 

COVID-19 AND SEA CUCUMBERS 

by Jaime Ortiz 

S 

ea cucumbers are sourced all around the world for the luxury 

seafood market and traditional medicine use in China. There is no 

specific species targeted but the size of the animals is often linked to 

value. In July 2021, the brown sea cucumber fishery in the Galapagos 

Islands was reopened, six years after it was deemed that the population 

needed time to recover. After only two weeks it was closed again, with 

the quota of 600,000 sea cucumbers having been reached by 308 

artisanal fishers according to the Galapagos National Park (GNP). 

Hawksbill turtle eating a brown sea cucumber 

© Adam Porter 

Sea cucumbers for sale in Asia © Ceres Wan Kam 

Small-scale fisheries such as those 

in Galapagos are a vital source of 

employment, providing income and food 

for millions of people around the world. 

Fish and fish products are some of the most 

highly traded commodities globally, and the 

disruption to supply chains caused by the 

COVID-19 pandemic has had severe social 

and economic consequences. According to 

the International Institute for Environment 

and Development (IIED), major contributors 

to economic losses for small fisheries in 

developing countries included the closure of 

food services and hotel industries in Europe 

and the USA, the bans on seafood imports to 

China (for fear of COVID-19 contamination) 

and the decline in 

global tourism. 

Around the world, 

the pandemic has 

had diverse effects 

on fisheries and 

other forms of 

wildlife trade. A 

recent report by 

TRAFFIC showed 

that wildlife 

trafficking in Asia 

reduced by 50% in 

2020 due to border 

closures but the 

online presence of 

the illegal wildlife 

trade increased, 

using social 

media platforms 

to advertise their 

goods. For instance, 

in February 2021, a 

team of researchers 

conducted a 

monumental review 

of more than 20,000 

social media adverts 

of wildlife trade in 

Indonesia and Brazil, 

and concluded that 

the pandemic did 

not decrease the 

volume of online 

wildlife trade. Bans 

on wildlife markets, driven by the suspected 

COVID-19 origins, could exacerbate the risk 

of increasing criminal activities related to 

illegal wildlife poaching and could also affect 

the livelihoods and food security of billions of 

people. Thus, some governments have been 

forced to reopen trade activities in order to 

supplement the livelihoods of their people. 

In Galapagos, the reopening of the longline 

artisanal fishery and the Endangered 

brown sea cucumber fishery has been 

suggested as a reaction to the closure of 

tourism due to COVID-19. Local fishermen 

welcomed this decision aimed to ease the 

economic impact left by the pandemic. 

However, even after six years, it seems that 

some populations of sea cucumbers have 

failed to recover. Some local fishermen 

reported that they failed to reach their target 

for the season and recent studies suggest 

that even long and continuous bans on 

Galapagos sea cucumber exploitation have 

failed to allow the populations of this critical 

marine species to recover. Therefore, it is hard 

to know whether this decision has provided 

a viable and sustainable economic solution 

for the local population. 

CHANCE TO BUILD 

BACK BETTER 

In February 2020, China decided to “ban the 

illegal trading of wildlife and eliminate the 

consumption of wild animals to safeguard 

people’s lives and health”, suggesting 

positive news for conservation. However, 

aquatic species do not count in this new 

legislation due to the view that fishing is a 

natural resource and a common international 

practice. Non-edible uses of wildlife such 

as in traditional medicines are also still 

permitted. Whilst marine wildlife continues 

to be seen as inferior to terrestrial species, 

making progress will be difficult. 

For some species, the reduction in 

industrial exploitation may have kick-started 

some population recovery. For other species, 

rapid exploitation may have obliterated entire 

populations, such as is often the case for sea 

cucumbers. But as the world continues to 

reactivate, governments have an opportunity 

to develop policies that will protect nature 

and ensure sustainable fisheries into 

the future. 

Part of this must be to understand the true 

environmental footprint of fisheries and the 

ecosystem effects of species exploitation. 

There must also be changes to how many 

fisheries are managed including ensuring the 

recognition of equal importance of women’s 

roles, ensuring their voices are heard in 

decision-making processes. The fishers of 

Galapagos have the opportunity to lead the 

way in small-scale sustainable fisheries as we 

move through the UN Decade of the Oceans. 


SUPPORTER NEWS 

© D Anchundia, CDF 

2021 has very much been a hokey cokey year, with the UK in and out of lockdowns, events being arranged 

then cancelled, and continuing travel uncertainty. Galapagos tourism has finally restarted, mainly with 

visitors from Ecuador and the USA for now, and our own supporters have continued to help us in so many 

ways. We cannot thank you enough. 

Corporate Partners 

We partner with some wonderful 

companies that support our work in 

Galapagos in a number of ways. Here 

are just a few of them – to see them all, 

visit our Corporate Membership page 

on the website: 

This global outdoor 

and travel clothing, 

accessory and footwear 

brand is very aware of 

creating products in a sustainable, ethical 

and responsible way and has supported 

our work since 2019, first through their 

swimwear range, and now through an 

exciting, wider collaboration on clothing. 

This eco-friendly 

haircare brand is on 

a mission to make 

a positive change 

by determining a new way forward for 

the cause of sustainability and ecoconsciousness 

within mass haircare. They 

donate a proportion of sales of their 

products to GCT. 

A clothing brand where 

all clothing is made from 

sustainable materials and 

is vegan friendly, and their 

packaging is made from 

100% recyclable paper. In each order an 

information card is included so you can 

learn more about your chosen animal 

design. 10% of every sale from their 

Galapagos giant tortoise and flamingo 

products is donated to GCT. 

To find out how your company could 

support GCT through a straightforward 

corporate membership, a sponsorship or 

other ideas, please contact mike@gct.org. 

Gifts in Wills 

Galapagos and the unique wildlife 

that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory 

of evolution are vulnerable to climate 

change impacts, overfishing, invasive 

species, habitat loss and plastic pollution. 

Leaving a gift in your Will is an extremely 

effective way to support a place that you 

have felt passionate about in your life. 

Gifts in Wills have helped us to: 

• Tag highly endangered whale and 

hammerhead sharks to uncover their 

mysterious migrations and work out 

how best to protect them 

• Protect the mangrove finch, one of 

the world’s most endangered birds, 

and bring it back from the edge of 

extinction 

• Track over 100 giant Galapagos 

tortoises across three islands to learn 

how their migrations are impacted 

by environmental change 

• Provide educational resources and 

run workshops for hundreds of 

schoolchildren in Galapagos and 

Ecuador to reconnect with their nature 

• Undertake plastic surveys to identify 

sources of plastic pollution and 

removes tonnes of waste from remote 

Galapagos beaches 

• Fund studies to learn how best 

to eliminate invasive mammals 

from Floreana island prior to the 

reintroduction of locally extinct species 

To find out more about how leaving a gift 

in your Will could help GCT, please visit 

galapagosconservation.org.uk/legacies 

or contact mike@gct.org. 

Our promise to you: 

• Your family and loved ones should 

come first but if you think there may 

be some money left over, please do 

consider remembering GCT 

• It is a very personal matter and your 

decision to make in your own time. 

We have guidelines on wording and 

can speak to you in confidence about 

different options if you wish 

• We respect your privacy, though, being 

a small charity, we’d love to know if 

you’ve decided to remember GCT 

in your Will 

• We will use your gift with the greatest 

of care. We know you want your money 

to make a difference and will make this 

happen for you 

Galapagos Day Raffle 

Following your feedback and the success 

of last year’s event, we are excited to 

host another virtual Galapagos Day in 

October. We plan to hold a raffle to help 

raise funds towards our latest appeal and 

are putting a call out to supporters to 

donate any unusual or high-value items 

for this. Please contact anna@gct.org 

if you can help us. 


21

GALAPAGOS PHOTOGRAPHY 

COMPETITION 2020-2021 

Despite the huge decrease in the number of tourists 

to Galapagos due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we still 

had many brilliant submissions which illustrate the beauty 

of the Islands and the wildlife that live there in our 2020-2021 

Galapagos Photography Competition. The overall winner 

is featured on pages 4-5, and here are some of the other 

highlights. 

To see all the winners and runners up please visit 

galapagosconservation.org.uk/2021-photographycompetition. 

A lazy sea lion won first place in the Urban Life category © Fisher Houston 

This beautiful tree finch won second place in the 

Birds of Galapagos category © Julie Gregoire 

This Galapagos land iguana won first place 

in the Animals in Action category © Leighton Lum 

This lonely marine iguana won first place in the Coastal 

and Marine category, and overall third place © Sam Whitton 


EVENTS 

For more information about events, to book tickets or register your interest 

in attending, simply visit galapagosconservation.org.uk/events or call us 

on 020 7399 7440 

GALAPAGOS DAY 

21 October 2021, online webinar 

Following the success of last year, and due to COVID-19, we have 

decided to keep Galapagos Day online this year. With the help of 

experts, this year’s Galapagos Day will be exploring the impact that 

climate change is having on Galapagos marine ecosystems. It will 

look at what we currently know and what research still needs to be 

undertaken to protect essential ecosystem services and livelihoods 

for local communities. Details are still being confirmed, but if 

you would like to register your interest in attending, please visit 

galapagosconservation.org.uk/events 

© Asher Mann 

JOIN OUR CRUISE 

OF A LIFETIME 

JOIN US FOR THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME 

On a bespoke Galapagos Conservation Trust cruise 

14 June – 1 July 2022 (18 days, 17 nights) 

The perfect opportunity to see the breath-taking wildlife and 

habitats of Galapagos, this is a rare chance to visit projects and 

meet passionate conservationists working on the Islands. 

• Intimate group – max 16 passengers. 

• Includes visits to Floreana, North Seymour, Isabela, Fernandina, 

Santa Cruz, Genovesa, Española and San Cristobal. 

• Travel in the knowledge that your trip will be directly 

supporting the conservation and sustainability of the Islands. 

• Only 5 places (2 ½ cabins) left 

© Enchanted Expeditions 

GALAPAGOS MERCHANDISE 

Christmas cards 

All cards read: “Seasons Greetings | Felices 

Fiestas” and come in packs of ten with 

envelopes. Each design is £5 a pack 

or £9 for two. 

We have added a brand-new design to our 

collection featuring the Christmas iguana. The 

Española marine iguana, a species that turns 

bright green and red during the breeding season, 

earning it the nickname of the Christmas iguana. 

2022 Galapagos Calendar 

Our 2022 Galapagos calendar is now ready to pre-order! 

It is filled with amazing photos of Galapagos’ unique 

residents - all from our 2021 photography competition, 

including this stunning cover image of a marine iguana 

by Juan Jaramillo. Only £10! 

(Pre-order shipping date planned for October). 

NEW! Marti the Hammerhead 

Shark Adoption 

Our newest adoption features our favourite 

storybook character Marti and makes the perfect 

gift for a budding conservationist! The postal 

adoption pack contains; Marti the Hammerhead 

Shark: A Galapagos Journey storybook, leaflet, 

A3 poster, personalised certificate, postcard, 

stickers and a bookmark. Only £35! 

The recipient will also receive email updates with more exciting 

content from Marti and her friends and the conservation work we 

are doing in Galapagos. All proceeds from our adoptions go directly 

towards our vital work in the Archipelago. 

Order these and other Galapagos merchandise using the form on the back page, by calling us on 020 7399 7440, 

or online at galapagosconservation.org.uk/shop 


23

Christmas gifting with Galapagos 

Conservation Trust 

Christmas cards 

Wildlife prints 

Endangered Galapagos species adoptions 

Gift membership 

Books 

scan to shop on your 

phone or tablet 

2022 calendar 

UK and international delivery 

Optional handwritten card 

Plastic-free packaging 

Supports conservation in Galapagos 

galapagosconservation.org.uk/shop

Autumn/Winter 2021 - Galapagos Matters - Galapagos Conservation Trust

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