Friends of the Charles Darwin Foundation

11/08/2024

03/05/2024

🌋 With all the excitement surrounding Fernandina’s Volcano La Cumbre eruption, we are getting countless questions about it. What's triggering it? How could it develop? How does it compare to other volcanic activity in Galapagos? How could it affect the island's unique wildlife?

🌋 We invite you to read our exclusive interview with renowned Galapagos volcanologist, Dennis Geist who delves into these questions and more! shorturl.at/cfDI9

Share, comment and like! 🌋

Fernandina began what is likely to be a large eruption on the Volcano La Cumbre on Saturday, March 2nd, 2024, just before midnight...

01/02/2024

Happy New Year! Thank you for making an impact with us throughout 2023. May this year bring renewed energy for collaboration, shared goals, and meaningful endeavors. ✨
Here's to keep protecting Galapagos and making a positive impact in the World! 🌎

📷 Rashid Cruz

10/31/2023

𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 | The Charles Darwin Foundation is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $7 million grant to support deep-ocean conservation in the Eastern Tropical Pacific from the Bezos Earth Fund ($5 million) and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation ($2 million). 🙌

The grant will be used to advance in-country exploration and research on deep-water habitats and seamounts within the ETP, to engage and inform better management of deep-ocean multi-country seascapes. 🌊

Over five years, the grant will bring together researchers from Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama, as well as the global deep-water community to work together to improve critical knowledge of deep-ocean ecosystems in existing, newly established, and potential deep-water marine protected areas (MPAs) in the ETP. 🌊

“The deep ocean is essential to the health of our planet and climate, but it is also one of the most vulnerable ecosystems on Earth. This is where we see scientific collaboration as the key to inform novel management models for protected areas as well as discover and protect new areas. We are proud to support this important work to protect the deep ocean in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.” - Cristián Samper, Managing Director and Leader for Nature Solutions at the Bezos Earth Fund

The project is to be based at the Charles Darwin Research Station in the Galapagos Islands, where a Deep Ocean Exploration Facility will be established. Collaborating with Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Invemar colombia, and Universidad de Costa Rica, the initiative aims to bridge knowledge gaps relevant to the management of ocean areas across the wider region and help address those conservation priorities for ecologically connected marine reserves and adjacent waters.

Click here to read the full press release: https://shorturl.at/gKLNT

📷 Andrés Cruz, Schmidt Ocean Institute

Galapa gos, 31 October 2023 – The Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $7 million grant to support deep-ocean...

10/26/2023

𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 | Scientists onboard the 𝘙/𝘝 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘰𝘳 (𝘵𝘰𝘰) using the 4,500-meter robot, 𝘙𝘖𝘝 𝘚𝘶𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯, have discovered two pristine coral reefs in the waters surrounding the Galapagos Islands. 🪸

These newly identified cold-water reefs are situated at depths ranging from 370 to 420 meters. The larger of the two reefs spans over 800 meters in length, the equivalent of eight football fields. The second, smaller reef measures 250 meters in length. They exhibit a rich diversity of stony coral species, suggesting that they have likely been forming and supporting marine biodiversity for thousands of years.

It's important to note that this discovery follows the April 2023 finding of the first deep coral reefs in the Galápagos Marine Reserve by scientists onboard Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s R/V Atlantis diving in the HOV Alvin submersible.

The discovery not only expands our understanding of deep reefs within the Galápagos Islands Marine Reserve, but also sheds light on the critical role deep habitats play in maintaining the health of our oceans. 🌊

We deeply appreciate the efforts of our committed collaborative team Parque Nacional Galápagos , INOCAR, Marine Institute & Ocean Institute

To find out more, please read the entire press release here: shorturl.at/cvIM1



Photos courtesy of Schmidt Ocean Institute

09/25/2023

We were incredibly honored to close Climate Week New York 2023 with a powerful message about ocean conservation in Galapagos in the heart of the big 🍎.

Thank you for the incredible collaboration Schmidt Ocean Institute, Parque Nacional Galápagos and Nasdaq. 🌊🌎 🤩

Check out the broadcasted video in Times Square here: youtube.com/watch?v=ex_DuWLnlmE



📷 Cassandra Lee, Jeremy Cortez

09/14/2023

The ocean never ceases to amaze us. In their latest Galapagos deep sea expedition, scientists onboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) have discovered a new hydrothermal vent field larger than a professional soccer pitch! The impressive vent field, named “Trail of the Crabs”, was found off the Western Galápagos Islands at a depth of about 2,500 meters. 🌊

Our senior marine scientist, Stuart Banks, who was on board this expedition notes: “Such a discovery for the Galapagos and Eastern Tropical Pacific takes us important steps closer to ensuring hidden deep-water biodiversity is recognized, appreciated and built into ongoing conservation efforts.”

The vent field is made up of five geyser-like chimneys and three hot springs, and the water temperature at the site can reach up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. The scientists also found a variety of marine life, including giant tube worms, crabs, and shrimp.

📰 Click here to read the press release: shorturl.at/ehqK3
📽 Check the video of the expedition here: youtube.com/watch?v=_CVKK-jnTeg



Images and video courtesy of Schmidt Ocean Institute

09/08/2023

Happy Iguana Awareness Day! 🦎 These incredible creatures, both land and marine iguanas, are iconic symbols of our Galapagos pristine ecosystem.

Respecting their wild existence is the best way to ensure the survival of these ancient species for generations to come. 🌏



📷 Carlos Espinosa/CDF, Rashid Cruz/CDF

09/06/2023

Join our senior marine researcher Stuart Banks on his third week of a month onboarding the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s (SOI) Falkor (too) as he tells his story of the quest to uncover the mysteries of unexplored hydrothermal vents on his blog: shorturl.at/cSVZ8

Images:
1. A cirrate octopus (Octopus in the 𝘊𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 genus). There are only two known species in this genus, and with this footage we are not able to identify the exact species, though it is likely 𝘊𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘪.
2. 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘰-𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴
3. 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘰-𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘊𝘶𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳
4. 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘰-𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴
5. 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘰-𝘊𝘶𝘴𝘬𝘌𝘦𝘭𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
6. 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘰-𝘚𝘪𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦

🚢🌏

Images Courtesy of: Schmidt Ocean Institute

08/24/2023

Could climate change determine the s*x of giant tortoises in Galapagos? 🐢 In their latest study, our giant tortoise researchers delve into the impact of nest location and temperature in influencing the s*x of hatchling tortoises.

The objective of this study was to determine how climate change might affect the s*x ratios of giant tortoises and the possible consequences for the conservation of these species. 🌡️🐢

“Our study provides the first data on the impact of nest incubation temperature on the s*x ratios of free-living Galapagos tortoises,” said Stephen Blake, study co-author, CDF visiting scientist and professor at St. Louis University. “Monitoring s*x ratios of populations most vulnerable to climate change may be important in guiding conservation actions, such as temperature-controlled incubation to optimize future s*x ratios.”

The study showed that in nests at low and medium elevations, about 90% of the hatchlings were female, while higher elevation nests leaned toward 80% male hatchlings. These results suggest that climate change and nesting decisions made by females will strongly influence the future s*x ratios (males and females) of the populations of these species.

For Galapagos, a possible temperature increase of 1-4°C. has been announced, which could influence tortoise reproduction in aspects such as the availability of nesting areas; nest conditions, such as temperature, precipitation and surrounding vegetation; and nest performance, such as hatching success and male to female ratios.

The results will allow the environmental authority to adopt management measures, if necessary, based on scientific information, in order to preserve Galapagos giant tortoise populations.

This research was led by the Charles Darwin Foundation in coordination with Parque Nacional Galápagos and was supported by the Institute of Conservation Medicine of the Saint Louis Zoo, the Galapagos Conservation Fund, the Houston Zoo, Freunde der Galápagos Inseln Schweiz, the Research and Exploration Committee of the National Geographic Society and the National Science Foundation (NSF) .

For more details, read the full blog here: https://t.ly/xjy4q

📷 Patrick Moldowan/CDF, Rashid Cruz/CDF

08/16/2023

Join our team!

We are looking for a Field Technician in Bio-business and Innovation. This professional will be responsible for positioning the Entrepreneurship Community of the Marine Food System in Galapagos and mainland Ecuador.

More information: www.darwinfoundation.org.

08/14/2023

The Group on Earth Observations has successfully concluded AmeriGEO Week 2023 at the University of Costa Rica, San José. From August 7-12, this international event brought together experts from around the world who use various technologies to measure and understand global phenomena.

This year's theme is "Data-driven solutions for a sustainable planet" where we explore how Earth observation data can provide answers to the environmental, social and economic challenges we face. During the event, we discuss exciting topics and share innovative ideas on the responsible use of technology for the well-being of our planet.

Our Innovation, Research and Development team, represented by Byron Delgado, Mónica Gutiérrez and J***y Mazón, presented two research studies on a new way to classify the archipelago's landforms and land use change in the agricultural areas of the 4 populated islands.

Follow us to learn more about advances in Earth observation, innovation and development that are shaping a better tomorrow. 🌱🚀



📷: Johnny Mazón/CDF
🎨: Boris Herrera/CDF