Baltra has an interesting history, used as an airbase by the US military during World War II. After the war the facilities were transferred to the Ecuadorian government, and there is still a military presence, along with the civilian airport.  

The island is flat and arid, lacking the volcanic peaks which characterise most of the other islands in Galapagos, studded with cacti and Palo santo trees. Other than the airport there are no tourist sites on Baltra, though visitors are likely to spot some of the Archipelago’s most iconic species during their onward transit from the island, including Galapagos sea lions, land iguanas and Darwin’s finches. 

Conservation challenges

By 1954, the Galapagos land iguana was extinct on Baltra, likely due to habitat destruction and introduced species such as goats, cats and dogs. However, during the 1930s a team of scientists had transferred around 70 iguanas to neighbouring North Seymour, and in 1980 several of these iguanas were taken to Santa Cruz for a captive breeding programme, which resulted in land iguanas being reintroduced to Baltra in the 1990s. The iguanas are now successfully reproducing on the island, and the population is considered healthy. 

The presence of the airport on Baltra, with over 1,000 commercial flights landing on the island every year, means that there is an ever-present risk of introducing harmful invasive species, and strict biosecurity measures are in place to mitigate against this threat.