Invasive species, pollution, plastic waste and disease threaten the survival of iconic species like Galapagos giant tortoises and Darwin’s finches. We need your help to rewild the Galapagos Islands so that wildlife thrives alongside people, reducing the human footprint and boosting biodiversity.
A growing human footprint is putting wildlife under severe pressure in the Galapagos Archipelago, especially on the four inhabited islands. Over 1,500 invasive species have been introduced to Galapagos, devastating populations of endemic land birds and reptiles such as giant tortoises and marine iguanas. Pollution is an increasing threat to wildlife in and around populated areas, with a recent study showing that giant tortoises are eating litter including plastic, metal and glass.
At GCT, we are dedicated to safeguarding the future of the Galapagos Islands, working together with our partners and the local community on populated islands such as Santa Cruz and Floreana. From eradicating parasitic flies and clearing dense thickets of invasive hill raspberry, to rewilding unproductive agricultural land and bringing back iconic species such as the little vermilion flycatcher, our island restoration work will repair damaged ecosystems and provide benefits for both people and nature.
> 1.5 k
invasive species have been introduced to Galapagos
86.3 %
of litter items found in giant tortoise faeces were made of plastic
12
species are locally extinct on Floreana
75 %
of all recorded extinctions have occurred on islands
We are aiming to raise £30,000 from our Rewilding Galapagos appeal, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to island restoration projects in Galapagos. If we exceed this amount, funds will be directed to wherever the need is greatest.
Here are just a few of the ways your donation could make a real difference for Galapagos…
Young people in Galapagos have few opportunities to see the wildlife enjoyed by tourists and develop a connection with nature, since many areas are too expensive to visit.
£25 could help support a rewilding workshop for local young people and build valuable conservation skills.
The Tortoise Protectors programme engages local young people in Galapagos to collect litter and help scientists identify tortoises that need to be relocated from urban areas to safer locations.
£50 could help fund the Young Tortoise Protectors to carry out monitoring surveys where tortoise habitats overlap with main roads.
The hill raspberry is one of the most damaging invasive plants in Galapagos and threatens the survival of the endemic Scalesia forest, a vital habitat for birds such as the little vermilion flycatcher.
£75 could fund a day of clearing invasive hill raspberry plants, enabling local plants and wildlife to return.
Four species of Darwin’s finch were driven to extinction on Floreana island by rats and other invasive species. Now that the rat eradication has been carried out, we are preparing to bring these missing species back.
£300 could fund assessments to ensure that returning birds are healthy and no diseases are introduced.
