Meet ten new Galapagos species we love so much that we've made them into pin badges!
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The American (or Caribbean) flamingo is one of six species of flamingo across the world. They breed in Galapagos, and across the Caribbean. Like all flamingo species, the pink colouration is determined by the amount of carotenoid pigment that is ingested. These pigments are found in the flamingo’s food sources – algae, crustaceans and microscopic plant materials, and the more the flamingo consumes the stronger its intensity of pink. Although the pink colouration is most obvious in a flamingo’s plumage, the carotenoids also impregnate the bird’s tissues, skin, blood and even egg yolk.
We are working with partners on the Restoring Floreana programme, which aims to reintroduce species that have become locally extinct on Floreana. This includes restoring a balanced ecosystem using conservation and adaptive management techniques. Part of this project involves the removal of invasive species, which would prevent flamingo nests from being disturbed.
The Galapagos green turtle is only commonly seen in a few places in the world, including Galapagos. As with all turtles, Galapagos green turtles have an ingenious way to clean their bodies of salts: they are able to cry the excess salt in ‘tears’ from special glands underneath their eyes to keep a stable inner environment. They are fast swimmers, travelling at speeds up to 35 mph over long distances. They are even able to sleep underwater, but only for a few hours at a time.
Currently, we are working with partners to assess the risk of marine plastic pollution to the Galapagos green turtle as part of our Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos programme.
As their name suggests, cactus finches feed mostly on Opuntia cacti. When the Opuntia are in flower, the finches feed almost exclusively on pollen and nectar. During other times of the year, they will feed on Opuntia seeds and fruit. They will also feed on a range of other vegetative foods and invertebrates.
On Floreana, GCT is supporting one of the largest restoration efforts of its kind ever attempted on an island with a human population, which will attempt to eradicate invasive predators and directly help the finches found on the island.
The Galapagos flightless cormorant is an endemic species to Galapagos, and is not only the heaviest cormorant species, but also the only one out of 29 species which cannot fly. Currently, there are around 1,000 breeding pairs of flightless cormorants on Isabela and Fernandina. Although their wings are stunted, they are used for balance when the cormorant jumps from rock to rock along the coast. As their wings don’t produce very much oil, they have lost some of their waterproofing, so after a dive they can be seen holding their wings out to dry.
Currently, we are working with partners to assess the risk of marine plastic pollution to flightless cormorants as part of our Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos programme.
Lava lizards are some of the most abundant reptiles throughout Galapagos. Apart from the location of the lizard, it would be nearly impossible to tell the difference between two lizards based on their physical appearance alone. Any individual can range from grey to green or brown and even black. The males tend to be brighter coloured with yellow specks or gold stripes. The females can have a red throat or head.
Some lava lizard species are labelled as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, but there are currently no specific plans in place in Galapagos to protect them, though they are generally protected by the Galapagos National Park.
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The magnificent frigatebird has several nicknames. Charles Darwin called them ‘the condor of the oceans’ because they can spend days and nights at a time on the wing and have an exceptionally large wingspan; the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird in the world. This body shape gives them exceptional aerial manoeuvrability and allows them to glide on thermals for days at a time. The Spanish would call them ‘pirate birds’ and ‘Man-o’-Wars’ due to their habit of stealing food from other birds.
The magnificent frigatebird is labelled as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, and as such there are no specific plans in place in Galapagos to protect this species, however they are protected by the Galapagos National Park.
Rays are cartilaginous fish that are closely related to sharks. They have a very flat, circular body shape and a long tail. Manta rays are named after their flat bodies, as manta translates to ‘carpet’ in Spanish. Recently, a new manta ray behaviour has been discovered. Manta rays have been spotted leaping out of the water and then landing back with a belly flop. There are various theories behind why the giant rays take part. For example, it could be to shake off parasites, as a defensive tactic or even just playful behaviour.
We are working with partners to ensure all ray species in Galapagos are protected through our Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos programme and our Endangered Rays of Galapagos programme, which will benefit ray populations all over Galapagos.
Red-footed boobies are found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are one of three species of booby found in Galapagos and their name comes from the Spanish word ‘bobo’, meaning foolish or clown – referring to their clumsy movement on land. Red-footed boobies are strong flyers, and can travel up to 90 miles when foraging. They are well adapted for diving, with long bills, aerodynamic bodies and long wings which can be wrapped around the body before entering the water.
We are currently working with partners to determine the risks of marine plastic pollution to seabirds, including red-footed boobies, as part of our Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos programme.
Pink iguanas are not just a different colour from other land iguanas; they are a completely separate species. There are only around 200 left, and they are confined to the slopes of Wolf Volcano on Isabela, making them one of the most vulnerable species in Galapagos, as the volcano is still active. First spotted and described by National Park rangers in 1986, it wasn’t until 2009 that the pink iguana was officially classified as a separate species from the other land iguanas in Galapagos.
Vital research is being carried out to learn more about this species as little is still known about them.
The waved albatross is the largest bird in Galapagos with a wingspan of up to two and a half metres. One of their most interesting behaviours is their courtship dance, which includes bill circling, bill clacking, head nodding, a waddle and a cow-like moo. The courtship ritual is most complex and especially drawn out for new breeding pairs and pairs which had an unsuccessful breeding season.
Industrial long-lining is prohibited within the GMR, although artisanal fishing still occurs. Several organisations are attempting to encourage fishermen to reduce their threat to waved albatrosses by incorporating bird scaring devices and underwater line launching so the bait is out of sight and reach of the birds. Currently, we are working with partners to assess the risk of marine plastic pollution to waved albatrosses as part of our Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos programme.
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