Project for the preservation of giant tortoises in South Isabela

Introduction

The island of Isabela is the largest in the Galápagos archipelago and is the home for five endemic (only found there) subspecies of giant tortoises. Whereas the three Northern subspecies have populations of several thousands despite pressure from different sources, the situation is different for the other two subspecies in the Southern part of the island. One subspecies, Geochelone vicina, seems to be able to maintain a modest population of a few thousand, but the population in the wild of the other subspecies, G.guntheri, forms less than a hundred animals. The Galápagos National Park Authorities and the Charles Darwin Research Station on the Galápagos have, therefore, increased the efforts to protect and preserve this population.

The protection and preservation program for reptiles of the National Park and the Research Station have proven to be very successful in the past. In March 2000 the 1000th hand-reared young tortoise was released on its native island of Española. The resettlements were usually successful, the young animals quickly settling down in their new home. Recent research shows an even more optimistic picture, the released young tortoises are already breeding. In this program the Research Station and the Park Authorities have successfully combined leading technology with traditional field work, and so amassed knowledge and experience for future programs. The object of these projects is to avoid that other giant tortoise subspecies suffer the fate of those of the Island of Pinta, where the last survivor, "Lonesome George", is a living symbol for the vulnerability of the fragile ecosystem. The financial support requested for this project will build up this successful program in South Isabela.

The basis for a successful project exists. In 1999 the existing breeding station on South Isabela was expanded. A volcanic eruption threatened the last survivors of G.guntheri and those which were saved from the lava flow found a safe haven in the breeding station. The breeding station in Villamil was consequently expanded in order to house the adult tortoises, and incubators and rearing enclosures built for the expected young tortoises. At the same time a program o f informing and gaining the support of the local population for the protection project was successfully carried out. This ambitious educational program aims at reducing the traditional hunting of giant tortoises in South Isabela. So far the efforts have been very successful and with continuing financial support the project to save the species can be continued and brought to a successful conclusion.

The aims of the project

• detailed defining and mapping of the distribution of giant tortoises in South Isabela
  
• locating the sites where eggs are laid
  
• studying the effect on the wild population of introduced species
  
• on the bases of the above three points establishing a strategy for the reintroduction in the wild of the hand-reared young tortoises
  
• optimising the rearing conditions in the breeding station in Villamil on South Isabela
  
• continuing the education program for the local population, with a view to integrating the former tortoise hunters into the protection program so that their knowledge can be used to make them "unofficial" park wardens protecting rather than hunting the tortoises.

Necessary means
The request covers the costs for the most important core elements of the breeding and the education component parts of the project. Each component part will be lead by a full-time Ecuadorian employee, and costs for travel between the islands and material are covered. The costs of the field work and other activities will be supplied by the National Park and the Research Station.

Costs (in USD)