Protect the marine life of the Galapagos Islands

Visiting the Galapagos Islands gives you the opportunity to fall in love with them, if you have already visited the islands, coming back to the enchanted islands can make you renew your love for them. There are so many things to appreciate, such as the endemic species of the islands, the sea creatures, and the many types of birds that you can only find there. 

All of the wildlife mentioned above is in the Galapagos Natural Park. If you like sea creatures, visit the Galapagos Marine Reserve. It’s the perfect opportunity to see turtles, penguins, dolphins, and sea lions, all of whom live under the protection of the park and other NGOs. These animals are still vulnerable to dangers that come from outside the marine reserve. On recent expeditions, we witnessed some very disturbing things that give us the call to increase efforts to protect the wildlife on the islands.

Threats to the Galapagos Sea life 

Plastic Pollution

There are many threats to the Galapagos wildlife, mostly to the sea animals; the two principal threats come from plastic pollution and indiscriminate fishing. Even though the Galapagos Archipelago is one of the few ecosystems that remain pristine, every year more than 8 tons of plastic are removed from the beaches. This amount of plastic affects more than 40 species on the Islands, and it has been observed that the affected species have ingested or been caught in plastic. Plastics have been found in the stomachs of seabirds with their young, as well as abandoned fishing equipment. With research, has be found a variety of tools to help to monitor plastic pollution. This involves using drones for mapping out the areas where plastic accumulates along Galapagos' coastlines, and oceanographic modeling to determine how plastic travels in ocean currents.

The first Global Plastics Treaty is set to be signed in 2024. This means that it's vital to step up research on how plastic pollution affects marine life in Galapagos, and to present the findings to the world, in order to catalyze action in order to reduce this threat.

Indiscriminate Fishing

The Galapagos Islands have one of the most prolific biodiversity on their coasts. Sea life is constantly in danger from indiscriminate fishing, and this combined with indiscriminate fishing has depleted the biodiversity of the sea around Galapagos. Even though all of the species deserve and get protection from the government and NGOs, there are a few species that are mostly treated.

Sharks are one of them. Sharks are intentionally targeted and harvested to satisfy the Asian demand for shark-fin soup. They are also accidentally caught by boats fishing for tuna. The Galapagos Marine Reserve, one of only a few places in the world where you can see scalloped hammerheads swimming together, is a priority for conservation. This species, which is critically endangered, is gathered by large groups of sharks, sometimes up to hundreds. Mangrove habitats for hammerheads are vital, and we are working with local scientists at the Galapagos Science Center on ways to protect them from fishing.

Importance of protecting the Islands 

Protecting the islands is very important for preserving biodiversity; having the right ways to do it is what really matters. Plastic pollution and indiscriminate fishing are just the tip of the iceberg; setting up suitable ways to avoid threatening sea life with human activity has to be a priority for governments and NGOs. Like tourists, responsible tourism has to be practiced to keep the balance in the islands, and raising awareness among people about how to keep and preserve the wildlife in the Galapagos Islands is just the first step in a long way.

If you want to meet the islands, commit to the cause, or enjoy an amazing trip to see the wonders of the enchanted islands and fall in love with them, don´t hesitate to contact us for more information.