Press information

On the Galapagos Islands the impossible has been made possible.

Zuerich, July 2006 – For hundreds of years the unique flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands has been threatened by introduced species. Now for the first time researchers have succeeded in clearing introduced animals from two large islands and in doing so help to re-establish the original biodiversity. 

During the celebrations for the 47th anniversary of the creation of  the Galapagos National Park (GNP)  Felipe Cruz, the project leader, was congratulated for the successful termination of the “Project Isabela”. After 8 years of hard work Felipe Cruz and Victor Carron along with their 32 man team have succeeded in freeing the islands of Isabela and Santiago from introduced goats, donkeys and pigs.

The Isabela project is worldwide the biggest project which has ever been carried out to eliminate introduced animals and plants. The wild goat herds were hunted during numerous helicopter flights. Then in a second phase the team combed the islands with dogs to find and catch the remaining goats. In this the project team was aided by “judas goats” - sterilised goats equipped with a transmitter and then released on the islands. These goats searched for  and joined the herds of island goats which could then be easily found and captured so permitting a complete clearance of goats from the two large islands of Isabela and Santiago.

As well as goats other introduced species could be eliminated from the fragile ecosystems. Donkeys, pigs and various plants were introduced hundreds of years ago as food for pirates, whalers and the earliest colonisers of Galapagos. The animals adapted very quickly to the new environment, fed on the local vegetation and formed large herds. Since they had no natural enemies they continually increased, destroyed the vegetation, drove the local animals from their habitat and so became an ever increasing threat to the unique biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands.

At present 19 endemic Galapagos plants are critically endangered or are almost extinct. These plants would then be forever lost.

Objective attained

The Isabela project is a fundamental step in the direction of ecological revival. Already we can see that the vegetation on the islands is recovering. The objective of the project - the preservation of the original flora of Santiago and Isabela, the re-establishing of the natural state of the islands and the preservation of the biodiversity is so achieved.

The Ecuadorian Government, the Global Environment Facility, the United Nations development program and the Organisations of Friends of the Galapagos Islands as well as many private contributors have supplied the financial resources for this project.

The initiators of the project, the Charles Darwin Foundation ((CDF)  and the Galapagos National Park would like to use the experience from the Isabela project for further programs to eliminate introduced species. The mainly local team members were trained in special hunting methods and techniques and will be able to use this knowledge in other projects. Hendrick Hoeck, President of the Swiss Friends of the Galapagos Islands, is delighted with the success of the Isabela project : “We are proud to have helped in this pilot project. Already we are receiving enquiries from New Zealand and other Pacific islands (Australia) which have similar problems to Galapagos due to introduced species.”   

This kind of photo belongs to the past: goat find food and for the endemic turtle there is only dry soil left.