News

Sir David Attenborough and Sky have teamed up to bring us a new three-part series in both 2D and stunning 3D celebrating the incredible wildlife and wild places of Galapagos. This is Galapagos as we have never seen it before.

The new series opened with the first episode 'Origin' on new year's day. In the second episode, we learn how a unique combination of environmental circumstances has resulted in species found nowhere else in the world. The episode features giant whale sharks and that true icon of adaptation, the marine iguana. The third and final installment 'Evolution' investigates the impact we've had in these islands and features the final footage of Galapagos conservation icon Lonesome George.

A short trailer for the series can be seen on the series' website. The site also features a gallery of pictures and videos from behind the scenes and from the programmes themselves. As an added bonus, there are also clips from the launch of the screening of the series that feature Sir David Attenborough talking about hot topics such as eco-tourism in Galapagos.

We have joined up with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust to launch the Darwin's Songbirds Appeal to save the birds of Galapagos that influenced Charles Darwin's revolutionary theory of evolution. So far, the response to our appeal to save endangered birds like the Floreana mockingbird and mangrove finch from threats like invasive species and habitat loss has been encouraging, and we thank those of you who have already pledged your help. If you haven't been able to pledge your support for this appeal yet, there is still time to make your contribution felt by donating via the appeal website darwinssongbirds.com.

The songbirds of Galapagos include some of the most significant species in the natural world. The groups of birds known as Darwin's finches and Galapagos mockingbirds helped Darwin shape the way that we look at ourselves and how we see the world around us.

Unfortunately, many of these species are now faced with extinction, which is why we launched the Darwin's Songbirds Appeal. To donate and to learn more about the birds, the threats and the appeal, please visit darwinssongbirds.com.

On 10 December we broke the news on our blog that a gecko has been discovered on Rabida Island. Scientists have known of the existence of a gecko on the island but only from fossils that date back more than 5000 years. The Charles Darwin Foundation's Datazone reflects this in saying: "there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died". But maybe it hasn't. If this newly discovered gecko turns out to be one and the same, it will be truly astounding.

The presence of a gecko on Rabida is perhaps the most startling indication of what might now be possible in the absence of rats. In January 2011, the Galapagos National Park carried out the first ever aerial distribution of rat poison in South America, spreading specially formulated bait from a helicopter across the 500-hectare island of Rabida, which lies to the south of Santiago. Now, after a thorough survey in November, the Galapagos National Park has confirmed the Island's rat-free status and revealed the first tentative signs of ecological recovery.

The post-poisoning surveys of Rabida have turned up another surprise: a land snail first and last seen in 1906. The bulimulid snails of Galapagos offer perhaps the most striking illustration of adaptive radiation in the archipelago, with a single colonization event resulting in more than 70 different species. Unfortunately, the relatively rapid changes that have been taking place in Galapagos over past decades - and the presence of invasive rats in particular - have had a terrible impact on these snails, with more than 50 of them now listed (including the Rabida snail) on the World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Species. The revelation that the Rabida snail has managed to cling on, triumphing in the face of so many rats, offers hope for many species.

"The real measure of the success of the restoration effort will be the recovery of the island's native species," says Brad Keitt, director of conservation for Island Conservation, one of the Galapagos National Park's partner organisations with special expertise in the eradication of invasive mammals from islands.

The success of rat eradication on Rabida is only the start. Last month, the Galapagos National Park dropped a first wave of baited poison over South Plaza and the much larger island of Pinzon. In theory, a second drop in close succession should be the last we see of rats on these islands. The focus will now move to eradication on Floreana in 2014. This puts Ecuador on target to render the entire archipelago free of invasive rodents by 2020.

Good news - we have extended the deadline for this year's photo competition by one month. Get your entries in before 30 November for the chance to win one of our excellent Galapagos prizes. Winners will receive books from our judges, wildlife photographers Tui de Roy, David Plummer and Pete Oxford.

It's really easy to enter, simply email your labeled photos (including the subject, location and your name) to photos@gct.org one at a time. It's as easy as that! For more information on the competition and for the Terms & Conditions, please click here.

As a conservation charity working to educate and inspire people about Galapagos, GCT is always looking for engaging, top quality images that can help to communicate about the Trust's work and about the unique wildlife of Galapagos. By entering this competition you are helping us to develop our image library, and for that we thank you!

Speaking of great photos, why not adorn your walls with gorgeous Galapagos images during the whole of 2013 with one of our brand new calendars featuring some of the winning images from the 2011 Photo Competition? All proceeds from this calendar will go towards supporting Galapagos - get yours now for £9.50 from the GCT Shop!

It is with great pleasure and a real sense of honour that I take up the position of Chief Executive of the Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT). GCT has undertaken vitally important work for the 17 years since its foundation and its on-going focus on conservation of this unique archipelago has never been more important. At a time of ever increasing pressures; from local population growth, tourism numbers, invasive species, resource extraction  and climate change to name but a few, finding the ways and means to further support the preservation of these iconic islands and surrounding waters is a compelling task, and one we must succeed in.

The Galapagos, a household name the world over, combine a compelling history of discovery, a world altering scientific heritage, a complex geographic history at one of the earth's few 'hot spots' and a resultant iconic ecosystem and biodiversity that is unparalleled.  The Archipelago has also been at the heart of the conservation movement and more recently the sustainable development debate. For all of these reasons and more, being able to help conserve these remarkable islands and their waters for both humans and their species, now and for future generations is something I hope we would all be interested in.

If you are already a supporter of GCT, whether financial or otherwise, I thank you for your support to date and hope it will continue. We have a great opportunity to make a difference and it is thanks to our many and varied supporters that we can do so. If you are not yet an active supporter, please read on, explore our website, contact us for information, and when you feel able to do so, become one. I commit that we will use your funding wisely and for the benefit of the Galapagos.  

We would be delighted to receive your feedback on our activities and as I progress in my tenure I will share with you how GCT is continuing to help support the conservation effort on the Galapagos. By doing so I hope to be able to engage you and get you as excited about our role as I am.

Ian Dunn, CEO