I want to find out more about Galapagos
Learn about the unique wildlife and history of the Galapagos Islands, and the conservation challenges that now threaten the Archipelago.
About Galapagos
30 years of Galapagos Conservation Trust
We have celebrated some amazing conservation success stories over the last three decades, and we are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with your help.
What would you like to do?
I want to find out about GCT’s work
Find out how our projects are helping to restore degraded island habitats, conserve threatened species and protect the seas around Galapagos.
Our work
I want to support GCT
Support our conservation work in Galapagos by becoming a member, donating to an appeal, adopting an animal, attending an event or entering our photography competition.
Support us
What we do
Galapagos Conservation Trust was founded in 1995 and is the only UK-registered charity to focus exclusively on the conservation and sustainable development of the Galapagos Archipelago and its unique biodiversity. We work with scientists, authorities, NGOs and local communities to tackle key threats to the unique biodiversity of Galapagos, including invasive species, plastic pollution, climate change and overfishing. Together with our project partners we gather the evidence needed for maximum conservation outcomes, whilst ensuring strong educational and communications campaigns garner public and political support for interventions.
Our impact
85 p
in every £1 we raise goes directly towards conservation in Galapagos
18.9 %
of Ecuadorian waters are now protected
£ 1.8 m
raised in 2023 – our best year yet
30 %
by 2030 – our goal for ocean protection
Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos
45% of all plastic used along the Pacific coastline of South and Central America is inadequately managed, leaking 1 million tonnes of plastic each year.
Our Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos programme is a multi-million pound, multi-year project, which feeds into broader work looking to tackle pollution across the Eastern Pacific region.
Restoring Floreana
Floreana is the sixth largest island in Galapagos and used to be home to some of the most iconic species in the Archipelago.
We are supporting partners to undertake one of the most complex eradication projects ever conducted on an inhabited tropical island, with the ultimate aim of reintroducing locally extinct species.
Galapagos Whale Shark Project
The whale shark is the world's largest fish, reaching lengths of up to 20 metres, yet surprisingly little is known about it.
By tagging individual whale sharks, the project team hopes to build a robust set of data about their migration behaviour, to determine what action is needed to protect this magnificent ocean giant.
Galapagos Tortoise Movement Ecology
Driven to extinction on some islands and the brink of extinction on others, tortoises are slowly recovering, but remain threatened.
The major threats to giant tortoises all stem from anthropogenic causes. Only through a human understanding of their ecological needs can landscape planning successfully conserve their numbers.
The latest from our blog
News
Plastic pollution
Double your donation to save the Galapagos sea lion with Big Give
Support our Big Give Green Match Fund campaign to protect Galapagos sea lions from deadly plastic pollution and your donation will be doubled, up to an amazing £10,000!
Read more
Evolution and genetics
Geology
Elemental Galapagos: Birth of an Archipelago
GCT Ambassador and author Dr Henry Nicholls explores the forces that shaped the Galapagos Islands and filled them with life.
Read more
Events
History of Galapagos
GCT 30th Anniversary Webinar 2025
On 1 April we held a very special webinar to reflect on both the successes and the challenges of the last 30 years, and to look ahead with hope to the next 30 years.
Read more
Evolution and genetics
Evolution in real time: An interview with Peter and Rosemary Grant
Peter and Rosemary Grant’s long-running study of Darwin’s finches has revealed evolution to be a more dynamic and unpredictable process than Charles Darwin could ever have imagined.
Read more
Join us today
Become a member from just £4 a month and support our vital conservation work in Galapagos.
Get the latest news from Galapagos
Join our mailing list to receive our monthly email newsletter, bringing you the latest news on Galapagos and our work to protect the Islands.
