The Galapagos Islands are unique in being one of the most pristine tropical archipelagos in the world. Their fauna and flora are exceptional, including spectacular examples of adaptive radiation, such as the well-known Darwin’s finches, and with strange endemic plants, such as trees that have evolved from a daisy-like ancestral member of the sunflower family.
But these treasures are facing serious pressures, and many species found nowhere else in the world are in decline. They are threatened by destruction of their habitat and especially by the host of introduced animal and plant species that humans have brought to the islands since their discovery in 1535.
These pages describe some of the amazing species to be found in the Galapagos and the CDF’s efforts to deal with the threats and to conserve the wonderful and irreplaceable Galapagos fauna and flora.