2024 REPORT FOR GNP

Projects Galapagos Report

William Puga Director

Projects Galapagos

San Cristobal Island

Galapagos Islands

13 May 2024

I Background

Projects Galapagos has carried out work to complete the requirements of the agreement that it signed with the Galapagos National Park (GNP) in 2016, with the collaboration initially starting in 2010. The cooperation has been very successful and has had a huge impact in supporting the actions of the GNP through the use of our human resources which consist of both international volunteers and our staff. The volunteers are carefully selected by our partner, Projects Abroad, and come to the island with the sole purpose of working in conservation activities, following local and GNP rules. They are issued with and are identified by T-shirts and vests with the Projects Abroad logo. Projects Galapagos is totally responsible for their behaviour during their stay while they work on our projects. We cover the costs and expenses of all our activities that support the work of the GNP. Plant and animal species in the Galapagos face many threats in all kinds of ways and the aim of the collaboration with GNP is to try and address many of these through our conservation projects.

II Current Projects

Our volunteers and staff work on various projects to alleviate or eradicate the problems that face the endemic species of the Galapagos. Our help is vital to the implementation of GNP activities. With guidance from GNP rangers, our volunteers and staff participate in various projects, including the following:

1. Giant Tortoise Protection Programme

The Giant Tortoise is classified as Endangered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

One of our main goals has been to guarantee the well-being of the giant tortoises in La Galapaguera “David Rodriguez Breeding Centre” by developing sustainable activities that must continue into the future. The work undertaken involves ensuring the delivery of food supplies and looking after the environment of the giant tortoises within La Galapaguera. These activities need to take place several times per week, so that they continue to breed, maintain the numbers of their species and sustain their well-being. They need care from Projects Galapagos at least 3 times per week, approximately 12 times per month, so there are approximately 144 visits per year, and this means that between 2016 to 2024 we have performed approximately 1,152 work parties.

Projects Galapagos volunteers and staff work to support the La Galapaguera and conduct the following activities to maintain the well-being of the giant tortoises and play an important role in the increase in their numbers.

 Maintaining and developing areas to grow Otoy plants, primarily at the GNP Otoy Plantation and at the Projects Galapagos Eco-Reserve.

 Cutting and transporting Otoy plants to the Breeding Centre, and then carrying them to the two feeding platforms and to the enclosure that houses the younger giant tortoises.

 Cleaning the pools at the feeding platforms and in the enclosure for the younger giant tortoises.

 Under the direction of GNP Rangers, clear invasive plant species from designated areas within the 12-hectare enclosure so that they have a better environment to live in and are more likely to find ideal areas to feed in and to lay eggs in.

 Maintaining walkways so that tourists have safe areas to walk on, and that keep them out of the areas the animals live in.

The breeding and Otoy growing programmes have been very successful, and part of that success is due to the diligence and hard work of the Galapagos National Park rangers and Projects Galapagos volunteers and staff.

2. Sea Lion Protection Programme

Like the San Cristobal giant tortoise, the Galapagos sea lion is also classified as Endangered by CITES. San Cristobal’s colony of Galapagos sea lions is one of the largest in the Archipelago, and it is essential to the region’s ecological balance.

Monitoring the species is one of the most important activities that Projects Galapagos carries out. They play an important role in the ecosystem of all the different beaches and protected areas of the GNP and the town. They are one of the main attractions of San Cristobal Island, so we collectively need to protect their habitats and guarantee their well-being. They face many problems; as well as being severely impacted by El Niño events, they are threatened by distemper carried by dogs, pollution, speed boats and human activities on the beaches where they are found (recreational use of the beaches and loss of space for example on Los Marinos Beach where boats are pulled onto the shore for maintenance work.)

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we continue with their protection by continuously monitoring them, registering numbers, and clearing their habitats to prevent injury by items such as ropes, barbed wire or plastic. They must have safe habitats to guarantee the survival of their young.

Sea lion monitoring is carried out on 7 beaches on San Cristobal Island, located in or close to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and this work is undertaken by our volunteers and staff. They go out weekly early in the morning to record the number of alfa males, sub adult males, females, juveniles, puppies and new-born individuals, and record if they are injured or diseased. In addition, two beaches are also visited weekly to record the behaviour of individual sea lions making using use of recording forms provided by the GNP. These activities have resulted in approximately 400 monitoring visits during the last 8 years.

It is a very important part of Projects Galapagos’ activities since so many animals live on the island and the surrounding ocean, and they need to be monitored to find out about their health and if numbers are increasing or decreasing. The reports are very detailed and the results over the years are analysed to see if there any changes in their numbers. Conclusions about why this has happened can be developed with the aid of the data. With the work of our volunteers and staff, we have been able to guarantee permanent, sustainable activities.

Examples of Findings

The following paragraphs reveal what kind of information is recorded in examples of beach reports and was compiled in December 2023. All figures are underpinned by extensive data.

Key Features:

1. Total Sealion numbers across the seven beaches were very similar in the years 2016-2018 but then increased by 11% between 2018 and 2019, by 38% between 2019 and 2022 (approx. 13%/year) then slowed to about 9% between 2022 and 2023. The number of females increased the most between 2022 and 2023 (up 24%)

2. Carola: Total numbers have tripled (220% increase) in the years between 2019 and 2022. This has involved increases in the numbers of females, juveniles, puppies and new-borns. There was a massive decrease in numbers between 2022 and 2023 (decreased by 72%)

3. Mann: Similar picture to Carola with an almost 150% increase between 2019 and 2022. Numbers of females showed the biggest increase (290%). There was a massive decrease in numbers between 2022 and 2023 (decreased by 67%)

4. Oro: This also shows increases in numbers. 123% increase in total numbers between 2019 and 2022 although the 2019 figures showed a slight drop when compared to 2018. It is clear that there are now more puppies and new-born sealions on Playa Oro. It is also interesting to note that more dead sealion pups or new-borns were found on Oro when compared to previous years or other beaches. Numbers increased by about 10% with more puppies being found.

5. Armada and Malecon: Sealion numbers have remained quite stable between 2019 and 2022. These are the only beaches that seem to have remained similar over time. Between 2022 and 2023 numbers had increased on both these beaches, up 25% on Armada (175.2 to 219.0 on average) and up 228% on Malecon (19.2 to 63.0 on average).

6. Los Marinos: This beach shows the most dramatic change in the profile of sealions over time. Although overall numbers have remained similar over the past few years falls in female, puppy and new-born numbers have been balanced by a large increase in sub adult males. It is clear that although Los Marinos is known as a bachelor beach, this has become even more dramatically the case. This has probably resulted in their being less room for the other sealion groups. Between 2022 and 2023 numbers increased on Los Marinos by 76% with numbers of females increasing the most – from an average of 43.0 to 135.8 females on each monitoring visit.

7. Loberia: This beach shows a 45% increase in numbers between 2019 and 2022 with this being almost totally due to an increase in the number of females (88% increase). Numbers stayed quite constant between 2022 and 2023.

Hypothesis: Although there has been an increase in numbers between 2022 and 2023 (it has slowed slightly) there is also a clear redistribution of sealions. There appears to be a movement away from the tourist busier beaches of Carola and Playa Mann to the other four main beaches in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (slightly more to Oro but much larger numbers to Malecon, Los Marinos and Armada). Numbers on Loberia, the more distant beach, remained more consistent between 2022 and 2023, but this is a small proportion of the total numbers with just about 64 individuals per monitoring visit.

3. Marine Iguana Protection Programme

Monitoring events have shown that the population of marine iguanas is increasing and that there are many more on the beaches in the town centre. Therefore, we need to guarantee their wellbeing, by continuing to monitor their numbers. Volunteers and staff monitor them on local beaches and the boardwalk (Malecon). They collect and record the data in reports, which are then sent to the GNP. A hypothesis is also made about potential reasons why there might be changes in their habitat or numbers. Numbers need to be monitored to provide the GNP with information about whether they are increasing or decreasing, and the numbers that have been born or died. Volunteers and staff visit the same beaches as are used for sea lion monitoring, and this activity may take place once per week, 4 times per month, and 48 times per year.

4. Sea Bird Monitoring Programme

Data is also collected about the numbers of sea birds, including Galapagos Petrels, and these are recorded on data spreadsheets which are sent to the GNP. Locations include local beaches, coastal areas, and the Highlands around Junco Lagoon.

With respect to Galapagos Petrels the success or otherwise of the rat eradication programme may be shown if numbers of birds increase. During the past few years, numbers have increased, and this may be due to the fact that the rat population has declined and that attempts are being made to control the number of cats and dogs on the island, and their behaviour. These pets are being chipped and sterilised.

At least 12 visits are made to sites for bird monitoring every year.

A decision will have to be made about whether chain saws are needed to clear fallen trees and shrubs that block access in some areas.

5. Clean ups of Coastal Areas

Plastic trash is very dangerous for local species, and a lot of it comes in from the Pacific Ocean, as well as being produced by the local community. For this reason, we conduct 2 ocean clean ups per week, 8 per month and 96 per year. The work of our volunteers helps guarantee the safety of our island species, since, for example, animals, fish, and birds mistake plastic items for food, and/or become entangled in nets. Sea lions, for example, have been seen playing with plastic trash in the sea beside the piers on the Malecon.

Volunteers and staff visit local beaches, coastal areas, and other areas, such as Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, and the road between El Progreso and the town to collect trash. It is then sorted into recyclable, non-recyclable, and unusual categories. The number of plastic and glass bottles is counted. Reports are sent to the GNP and international organisations which measure the amount of trash in the Pacific Ocean.

In an attempt to re-educate the local community about the dangers of trash and plastic for local fauna, conservation volunteers come into the Community Centre and give presentations about their work to the older children. All the groups and ages have had lessons incorporating re-using

trash, for example using decorated plastic bottles as containers for pens and plants. Everyone is being educated about the importance of not dropping litter and keeping the island clean.

Totals showing the amount of trash collected, and whether it is recyclable, or non-recyclable, and the numbers of plastic and glass bottles collected on the beaches, have been produced. With this information, it will be possible to decide where rubbish bins should be placed and shows that the community still needs to be educated about not throwing trash anywhere since it endangers native fauna.

The collected data shows that amounts of trash have increased from 2015 to 2023, with 308 kilos in 2015 and 4506 in 2019. The large increase may be because more clean ups are carried out per year. In 2022, 18 kilos of non-recyclable trash and 6 of recyclable were collected. In Opuntia on the 6th October 2022, 12 kilos of recyclables, 17 of non-recyclables and 27 plastic bottles were collected.

6. Eradicating Invasive Species of Plants and Planting Endemic Plants

Invasive species such as blackberry bushes and other introduced plants have covered parts of San Cristobal Island, overwhelming native and endemic plants and compromising Otoy Plantation areas. From 2016 to 2019, volunteers have controlled approximately 10 hectares of plants introduced into different sectors of the island. This work is ongoing and if it did not take place, animals and plants would be in more danger than they are already. The invasive plants would take over the Otoy plantations, which would mean that giant tortoises might not have enough food. The invasive plants have caused damage to the well-being of the flora and fauna species. Together with our volunteers and staff, and rangers from the GNP we have set up a schedule to clean areas at least twice a week to eradicate the invasive species with machetes and by hand. Volunteers clean the areas, plant the plants, and water them, before planting them in other areas or feeding the giant tortoises.

Representative figures for our work are that 2000 Otoy plants and 80 Escalecia were planted at the GNP Plantation, and at the airport, 100 Lecocarpus and 50 Chala.

7. Eradicating Invasive Species of Fauna

Volunteers and GNP rangers have helped eradicate invasive species such as rats, which eat giant tortoises’ and petrels’ eggs and young. Since amounts of rat poison have decreased and this project is no longer in operation, it proves that the project has been successful. Its success may also be measured by the fact that the number of birds and baby tortoises has increased.

III Recommendations

There are several ways that Projects Galapagos can consolidate and build on its work on San Cristobal Island. A baseline for this collaboration would be to continue with the following activities:

 Giant Tortoises: Maintenance of Otoy Plantations, collection of Otoy to feed Giant Tortoises and work in the Galapaguera and linked Greenhouse.

 Sea Lion Monitoring of numbers on the 7 beaches of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and Sea Lion Behaviour Monitoring on 2 beaches as agreed with GNP.

 Marine Iguana Monitoring

 Sea Bird Monitoring

 Regular clean-ups of coastal areas

 Eradicating invasive species of plants and planting endemic plants

 Eradicating invasive species of fauna, in particular rats in designated areas.

To develop our collaboration further an important start would be having meetings with directors from the GNP, the Science Centre, the Charles Darwin Research Centre, and Galapagos Conservancy on Santa Cruz to identify potential gaps in scientific and conservation work. The following are some suggestions:

A) Directory of Research

A directory of the work and research conducted by organisations working in the Galapagos Islands is needed.

B Documenting Species of Giant Tortoises on San Cristobal Island

The Galapagos Conservancy Centre published an article in 2022 highlighting that there have probably been two species of Giant Tortoise on San Cristobal, i.e. one that is extinct from the Southern Highlands and a second in the Northern Lowlands. The article states that more research is needed on the extinct species. However, in the meantime, breeding at the Galapaguera has effectively stopped just in case the tortoises there are hybrids. Potential work/research could include the following:

 All the giant tortoises in La Galapaguera need to have blood taken and be genetically fingerprinted to see if they are hybrids (critical).

 If possible, the work needs to be extended to the wild population to genetically fingerprint individuals.

 Ideally, alongside the previous point, a census takes place of as many individuals as possible, and scans taken to see the survival rates of any microchipped individuals.

 These activities are vital to gauge the health of the island’s giant tortoise population and to allow it to grow. Rangers will be required and scientists to collect and analyse blood samples as well as give findings on ‘genetic purity’ of existing population.

This study may need to take place in association with the SFQ Science Centre who may be looking to be involved in this work.

C Sea Lion Monitoring

Decisions need to be made about the importance of sea lion monitoring. This is a species defined as Endangered, but little seems to be being done to properly support it. The impact of El Niño can only be gauged if numbers are known over time. Some possible areas to consider:

 Support is needed regarding the World Vets’ programme and the animal shelter to sterilise dogs and cats and remove them from the beaches and Malecon boardwalk. This would also benefit the marine Iguana populations.

 Weekly monitoring is a priority

 Consideration must be given as to whether sea lion numbers can be obtained using drones in the same way that the overhead drone programme is being used to count the number of marine iguanas.

D Eradicating Rat Populations

It is vital that the rat population is completely eradicated. The town also has a problem with rats.

A new survey also needs to be carried amount with bated rat tubes to confirm whether the rat populations have changed in each of the Galapagos petrel population.

E Monitoring Beaches with Drones

The work that Projects Galapagos carried out does not include drone surveys, but these would be very useful for marine iguana and sea lion monitoring, as well as surveying trash on beaches that are not being surveyed.

Finally, this list only scratches the surface of the work that needs to be done. The first point is probably relatively cheap to complete but serious employment of rangers, scientists and volunteers is needed for the second two points.

F Compiling Database of Relevant Conservation Reports Relating to San Cristobal Island

Organisation Sea Lions Clean Ups Giant Tortoises

CDRS

Galapagos Conservancy

Galapagos Conservation Trust

Galapagos National Park

Galapagos Rescuing Foundation

Jocotoco

National Geographic

Projects Galapagos Complet ed 2023 Complete d Dec 2023

University of San Francisco Quito Science Centre

University of San Francisco Quito Science Centre

IV Conclusions

Projects Galapagos has been providing support to the GNP for the last 20 years, and it is very important that we continue with our efforts as our many projects maintain the well-being of the fauna and flora found on the islands and enable the education of our community about the importance of conservation.

The work of Projects Galapagos is an extremely useful tool in the Galapagos National Park’s development, both directly and indirectly. Our volunteers and staff are completing projects that support the GNP.

All the work that Projects Galapagos is responsible for is on-going and there would be a dramatic effect on the community and the island’s fauna and flora if it stopped. The result of the work of an individual may not be evident when he or she is working on the island, but over time their collective work has a massive impact. Therefore, it is vital that the Galapagos National Park continues with its agreement with Projects Galapagos, so we are requesting that we are allowed to continue to support this unique World Natural Heritage area, the Galapagos National Park, and its fauna and flora.