Charles Darwin Foundation

A Homecoming for Floreana - Charles Darwin Foundation After more than 180 years, giant tortoises have returned to Floreana Island—reviving a lineage once thought extinct.

After 180 years, 158 giant tortoises are back on Floreana. 🐢 But to understand why this matters, we must ask: how do you recover a species thought extinct? Genetic clues discovered in 2000 revealed surviving Floreana ancestry on another island.
📖 www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...

158 Endangered Tortoises Released onto Floreana Island, Galápagos for First Time in over 180 Years - Charles Darwin Foundation After more than 180 years, 158 endangered giant tortoises have returned to Floreana Island, marking a historic milestone in Galápagos.

#NEWS 158 giant tortoises are back on Floreana. 🐢 For the first time in 180+ years, endangered tortoises of Floreana lineage have returned home — marking the first of 12 species to be reintroduced under the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project. www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...

CDF Opens its Doors to the Largest Scientific Heritage of Galapagos in Ecuador - Charles Darwin Foundation For the first time, the Charles Darwin Foundation opens Galápagos’ largest scientific collections to the public. Housing over 137,000 specimens, this new facility offers a rare glimpse into the scienc...

From giant tortoises to vampire flies, this is the largest biodiversity archive in Galapagos and a key tool for long-term conservation. 📚 Built with the support of the COmON Foundation and Wijnand Pon.
Learn more here: www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...

CDF Opens its Doors to the Largest Scientific Heritage of Galapagos in Ecuador - Charles Darwin Foundation For the first time, the Charles Darwin Foundation opens Galápagos’ largest scientific collections to the public. Housing over 137,000 specimens, this new facility offers a rare glimpse into the scienc...

#News 🧬 We’ve opened the Wijnand Pon Galapagos Natural History Collections building, where 137,000+ specimens from over 7,500 species are now accessible to the public for the first time. 🌱 A bridge between science and society. 📖 www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...
#Galapagos

A chromosome-level genome assembly for the brown sea cucumber from the Galápagos Islands, Isostichopus fuscus - Scientific Data Scientific Data - A chromosome-level genome assembly for the brown sea cucumber from the Galápagos Islands, Isostichopus fuscus

This study is a breakthrough not only for Galápagos, but for marine conservation across the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Read the full paper here:
📖 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#CDFScience #MarineGenomics #GalapagosConservation
#SeaCucumber

Local expertise meets global science: the first complete genome of endangered sea cucumber advances marine conservation in Galápagos - Charles Darwin Foundation Local expertise meets global science: the first complete genome of endangered sea cucumber advances marine conservation in Galápagos

#News 🌊 For the first time, a complete genome of the endangered brown sea cucumber (𝘐𝘴𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴) has been decoded. Read more here: www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...

Following the trail of a natural enemy - Charles Darwin Foundation Scientists in Galápagos are tracing the origin of the invasive avian vampire fly to find a safe, long-term solution.

#Blog 🪰 How do you fight an invader like the avian vampire fly? 🧬 For over a decade, scientists have followed a patient and science-driven path: finding a natural enemy. Learn how biological control could help save Galápagos’ iconic birds. 🔍
www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...
#GalapagosBirds

New DNA evidence reshapes understanding of the Galapagos Vermilion Flycatchers - Charles Darwin Foundation New DNA research reveals that Galápagos Vermilion Flycatchers are not one species, but a mosaic of long-isolated island lineages.

The peer-reviewed study, led by @darwinfoundation.bsky.social, @calacademy.bsky.social, and the University of Vienna—together with the GNPD—analyzed birds using both modern and museum samples. 📖 Dive into the full story here: www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...
#CDFScience #DNAReveals

Lorena Sánchez from the Galapagos National Park adds: “For the environmental authority, these results are highly relevant, as they will help guide—and, if necessary, adapt—management measures in a more targeted manner, taking into account the specific conditions of each population.”

Jack Dumbacher of @calacademy.bsky.social adds: “If taxonomic revisions recognize these lineages separately, it would allow their extinction risk to be evaluated more accurately.”
#ConservationScience #GalapagosBirds

These findings show an “evolutionary lineage that has been evolving independently for some 500,000 years—around the time Homo sapiens first appeared in Africa.” says David Anchundia, lead author and landbird CDF researcher.🌿 Key insights for Floreana and Santa Cruz.

#News 🔬 A new genetic study reveals that Galápagos Vermilion Flycatchers aren’t one uniform species—but a group of long-isolated island lineages, shaped by hundreds of thousands of years of evolution.
#GalapagosFlycatcher #ConservationGenomics #IslandEvolution

YouTube video by Charles Darwin Foundation Scalesia y esperanza: restaurando el Bosque de los Niños

A forest, a legacy, a return 🌿 Watch how a small 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢 forest on Isabela is coming back to life — and how the community is restoring its roots.
🎥 www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhv0...
#Galapagos #Restoration #Scalesia #Conservation

The Return of the Children’s Forest - Charles Darwin Foundation Discover the revival of Isabela Island’s historic Children’s Forest, a once-forgotten sanctuary of the endangered Scalesia cordata. From its origins with Don Jacinto to today’s community-led restorati...

The Children’s Forest returns on Isabela 🌿 In 1993, Don Jacinto Gordillo helped protect a rare remnant of 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢 (now <1% of its original population). After invasive plants took over, we are restoring the habitat and this educational space.
www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...

Oceanic MPAs Harbor Highest Concentrations of Sharks - Charles Darwin Foundation A groundbreaking study across seven marine parks in the Eastern Tropical Pacific reveals thriving shark and predator populations in remote island MPAs

New study: Remote MPAs in the Eastern Tropical Pacific—like Galápagos & Malpelo—host some of the world’s highest shark densities. Coastal MPAs? Alarmingly empty. 🦈📖 Read why protecting all life stages of sharks means investing in stricter protection: www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/news...

Take a look inside our Natural History Collections, where thousands of specimens help us uncover the stories of Galapagos biodiversity. Among them: the mysterious skull of the Santa Fe giant tortoise, a species long believed extinct. 🐢 www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJ-H...

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: What Darwin Found Convincing in Galapagos. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. During his voyage on the HMS Beagle, Darwin initially viewed the finches of Galapagos as an “inexplicable confusion” and paid them little attention. Instead, he was far more intrigued by the mockingbi...

#FreeWebinar Join us on Nov 24 at 10:00 AM (Galápagos time) for a Zoom talk with William H. Durham from Stanford University. 🌿Discover what truly convinced Darwin in Galapagos — from mockingbirds to the origins of his theory of evolution. Sign up here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

The Mystery Behind the Santa Fe Tortoise - Charles Darwin Foundation In 1969, during relentless rains on Santa Fe Island, scientist Tjitte de Vries discovered a small, well-preserved tortoise skull. Taken to the Charles

A skull found in 1969 on Santa Fe Island may belong to an extinct tortoise species. 🐢 Decades later, scientists are uncovering the truth—using atomic clues and island history. Read more in our latest blog → www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...
#Galapagos #ScienceForConservation

Using Nature to Bring Back Nature - Charles Darwin Foundation The Galapagos Islands, a living laboratory of evolution, face growing threats from invasive species. Through safe and science based biological control

In Galapagos, invasive species threaten native life—but nature might hold the solution. 🌿 Discover how biological control is helping restore balance, from ladybirds to finch-saving science. www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...

#Galapagos #BiologicalControl #Conservation #AvianVampireFly

𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘢 — critically endangered and not seen in 29 years — has been rediscovered on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos! 🌿 Despite invasive goats and low seed viability, recovery is underway. Continued restoration is essential. doi.org/10.1017/S003...

Ushering in a New Chapter for Ocean Governance: Ratification of the BBNJ Agreement - Charles Darwin Foundation On 19 September 2025, the BBNJ Agreement reached 60 ratifications, enabling greater protection of high seas ecosystems.

🌊 Big news for the high seas: the BBNJ Agreement enters into force Jan 2026! It’s the first legally binding treaty to protect marine biodiversity beyond national borders. Why does this matter for Galápagos? Because regional action now has global backing. 🔗 www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...

Episode 17: For The First Time in 20 Years, Hope is Singing on Floreana Island Spotify video

#NewPodcast! For the first time in 20 years, hope sings in Floreana. 🐦 The critically endangered Medium Tree Finch shows signs of recovery after invasive species control. Even new songs are being created. 🎶 Listen to Prof. Sonia Kleindorfer: open.spotify.com/episode/6VsJ...

DR. ITOW AND THE SCALESIA FORESTS - Charles Darwin Foundation Dr. Syuzo Itow was a pioneer in Galápagos botany and founder of JAGA, connecting Japan, Galápagos, and Ogasawara through science and conservation.

Dr. Syuzo Itow helped bring Galápagos botany to life. From 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢 forests to international partnerships, his legacy of science and conservation continues to grow. 🌿 Read the full story:
www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/blog...

#Galapagos #Scalesia #JAGA #Conservation #Science

Study of Invertebrates: A tool to supports Floreana Island’s Restoration - Charles Darwin Foundation Ecological restoration requires a clear understanding of existing biodiversity. In 2022, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) and the Galápagos National Park Directorate conducted the first baseline st...

#ImpactStory 🦗 A new study together with the Galapagos National Park reveals native biodiversity thriving in protected zones—and invasive ants spreading in farmland. This baseline will guide one of the world’s most ambitious island restoration projects. 🔗 www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/stor...

Episode 15: #ThrowbackThursday with Jack Grove Spotify video

#NewPodcastAlert! On this #TBT we sit down with Dr. Jack Stein Grove, marine biologist & longtime Charles Darwin Foundation collaborator, as he shares stories from decades exploring the Galapagos Marine Reserve + the 2nd edition of Fishes of the Galapagos! 🎙️🐟 open.spotify.com/episode/3ZLi...

In Memory of Mathias Espinosa - Charles Darwin Foundation When Mathias Espinosa dived into the ocean, the world fell silent. “Diving is a kind of yoga underwater, where the only thing you hear is your own breathing,” he used to say. That philosophy marked mo...

Mathias Espinosa was a pioneer of sustainable diving in Galápagos and a passionate advocate for ocean life. 🌊 His legacy lives on in every reef, every story, and every dive taken with respect. 💙
Read the tribute: www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...
#Galapagos #MarineConservation #OceanLegacy

Winged Guardians: Owls and Their Role in Galapagos Conservation - Charles Darwin Foundation The barn owl and the short-eared owl are not just hunters—they are vital guardians of the islands’ balance.

#ImpactStory 🦉 Barn owls in Galapagos are silent hunters—eliminating up to 200,000 invasive rodents per year. But road accidents and poison threaten their future. Learn how we’re protecting these vital guardians: www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...

Baltra regenerates: a decade restoring an island in the heart of the archipelago - Charles Darwin Foundation After more than a decade of continuous effort, Baltra Island clearly shows the fruits of a visionary ecological restoration process.

#Blog 🌵 After 10 years of restoration, nature is reclaiming Baltra: iguanas return, 𝘖𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘴 grow on their own, and the ecosystem begins to thrive. 📄 Read the story → www.darwinfoundation.org/en/news/all-...
#EcologicalRestoration #GalapagosVerde2050

Episodio 13: Entomología con Karen Vera Spotify video

#NuevoPodcast 🎙️ Nos adentramos en el mundo de los invertebrados terrestres de Galápagos con nuestra entomóloga Karen Vera, quien comparte su experiencia y explica por qué estos pequeños seres son clave para el equilibrio del ecosistema. 🌱✨🐞 open.spotify.com/episode/55iP...

We once mapped the Moon better than our own ocean. Now, with support from the @bezosearthfund.org, @darwinfoundation.bsky.social and partners are charting the Eastern Tropical Pacific’s hidden reefs and mountains so we can protect them.