Celebrating our 2025 successes

This year, we celebrated 30 years of working in the Galapagos Islands, funding, supporting and delivering conservation projects across the Archipelago. A historic milestone for Galapagos Conservation Trust.

From representing the needs of Galapagos wildlife and communities at global events including the United Nations Ocean Conference and the next round of negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty to launching our citizen science hub and partnering with the Galapagos National Park Directorate and local NGOs to develop a new model for tourism in Galapagos, our team has had a very busy year with some amazing wildlife wins, all of which would not have been possible without you.

Galapagos rail rediscovered after 190 years

In February, scientists were stunned after rediscovering the highly secretive Galapagos rail on Floreana island. This species was last recorded on the island by Charles Darwin in 1835 and was thought to be locally extinct. This ‘beautiful surprise’ came when scientists from the Charles Darwin Foundation recorded the presence of the Galapagos rail at three different sites. These official observations followed suspected sightings by Wilson Cabrera, a local island restoration specialist with Fundación Jocotoco.

This incredible discovery, which followed the first eradication attempt of invasive species from the island, a worrying threat to the rail and many other native species, demonstrates that ecosystems can recover when given a helping hand.

GCT’s 30th anniversary webinar

In 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. Dr Jen Jones, CEO of Galapagos Conservation Trust, was joined by GCT Ambassador, author and editor of Galapagos Matters magazine, Dr Henry Nicholls, and GCT’s Ecuador-based Programmes and Policy Manager, Lucía Norris Crespo.

GCT on a global stage

In June, we attended the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, where we called on governments to commit to accelerating action for our oceans, including a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, and ensure the voices of those most impacted by global ocean pollution have a place in decision-making processes.

During the event, we held an online panel discussion with the Galapagos National Park Directorate and Fundación Ariana Rapa Nui, with voices from grassroots to Government, we explored the efforts of the Pacific Plastics: Science to Solutions network to break the plastic pollution cycle with innovation and collaboration. We also celebrated the launch of the Tangaroa Alliance, a collective of over 10 Pacific islands uniting to co-design solutions for a healthy ocean and raise voices for a strong Global Plastics Treaty.

Launching our citizen science hub

In September, we launched our citizen science hub, which brings together citizen science projects across the Galapagos Islands that are available for tourists and residents to get involved in. Citizen science is when people who aren’t scientists participate in scientific research. This could be anything from taking a picture of a shark to help track the species’ movements to reporting sightings of an injured sea lion.

To celebrate the launch of the hub, we spoke to some of the scientists leading these projects to understand what impact citizen science is having on their conservation work. We spoke to Dr Tierney Thys, who is using citizen science data to fill knowledge gaps for the elusive sunfish, Dr Diana Pazmiño, who is tracking the movements of oceanic manta rays using the data from citizen scientists and Farah Hamdan, who is using data to determine the threats faced by Mobula rays in Galapagos.

Galapagos Day 2025: The Truth About Sharks

In October, we gathered at 1 Wimpole Street for Galapagos Day, our biggest event of the year. We were thrilled to be joined by so many of our members, supporters and partners, along with many new faces. Our theme this year was ‘The Truth About Sharks’, and we met the scientists, filmmakers and policymakers advocating for the protection of sharks and all marine life using cutting-edge technology and film to highlight the challenges facing sharks and the groundbreaking ways we can save them.

During the event, we shared the news that the High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty, has met the required 60 ratifications for entry into force. This landmark treaty will allow marine protected areas to be created in international waters. This is a huge win for sharks and other migratory marine species, as currently, just 1% of the High Seas are properly protected.

Historic wins for Galapagos wildlife

In October, we were thrilled to learn that our long-term partner, Dr Luis Ortiz-Catedral and his team had successfully reintroduced 1,500 land iguanas to Santiago island, where they had been locally extinct since the early 20th century due to introduced animals such as feral cats and goats (which have now been removed from the island).  This landmark reintroduction, supported by GCT, will not only boost the survival of land iguanas but also help to restore Santiago’s ecological health.

In December, we received the incredible news that marine iguanas, land iguanas, oceanic manta rays and whale sharks have been uplisted to CITES Appendix I, meaning all of these species now have the highest level of international protection a species can get under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This landmark decision prohibits all international commercial trade of these animals, an important step needed to protect these species from extinction, made possible by the incredible people, projects and research being done in Galapagos.

Making tourism a force for good

As the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Galapagos Islands are a dream destination for wildlife lovers around the world. The tourism industry in Galapagos is an important source of revenue for residents, with 80% of the Islands’ economy dependent on the industry. However, a 260% increase in visitor numbers over the past two decades has put a significant strain on vital ecosystem services, including clean air, water and food, as well as infrastructure and waste systems. These rapid rises in tourist numbers have also been a driver of conservation threats to species.

This year, GCT has brought together key stakeholders, including tour operators, local NGOs, the Galapagos National Park Directorate and Ecuador’s Ministry of Tourism, to develop a new model for tourism across the Archipelago. A model that protects wildlife while supporting the economic benefits and social needs of communities on the Islands. In December, the GCT team ran a series of workshops across the islands of San Cristobal, Santa Cruz and Isabela to launch the Code of Conduct campaign with the Park, which invites residents to share their thoughts on how we can create a tourism industry that ensures tourists keep their impact on the Islands to a minimum with the aim of then implementing this code for all visitors to Galapagos.

Supporting early career researchers

With your support, we have been able to support several early career researchers this year. They include Georgie Savage, a PhD student at the University of Exeter, who is investigating the impacts of chemical pollutants on giant tortoises and their habitats, Gislayne Mendoza Alcívar at the Charles Darwin Foundation who is looking at the potential impact of different viruses on giant tortoise populations and Sofía Leon and Dagfin Sotomayor at the Galapagos Bullhead Shark Project, who are using state of the art techniques, including ultrasounds, to study the elusive Galapagos bullhead shark.

From all of us at GCT, thank you for your continued support, our work would not be possible without you and we can’t wait to see what the year 2026 will bring our team and the people and wildlife of the Galapagos Islands.