CDRS Director 1978-80
By: H. E. Corley Smith
When Hendrik Hoeck was appointed Director of the CDRS, he did not know the Galapagos but was well acquainted with South America having been born in Colombia. Two decades had passed since the establishment of the Galapagos National Park and the creation of the Charles Darwin Foundation and many problems of conservation could now be seen more clearly. The 3,000 square miles of rugged volcanic islands,scattered over 30,000 square miles of ocean, had been gradually explored and there was a better understanding of the complex ecological problems that varied from island to island. It was time to take stock and a seminar of independent experts was held in Quito, which produced a report: Twenty Years of Conservation in the Galapagos. The report assessed the balance of past achievement and suggested the future course of CDF policies.
At the CDRS and GNPS, conservation strategy was already being revised. It was accepted that the control of introduced species must remain the top priority but with the proviso that it was impracticable to tackle all the feral animals simultaneously and, in particular, unrealistic to expect that adequate resources would be forthcoming in the foreseeable future to control the enormous herds of goats and pigs on Santiago. Therefore efforts should be concentrated on smaller islands where, taking them one by one, the goats could be completely eradicated,thus providing a final solution. The GNPS team of hardy hunters, with improved tactics and weapons, finally succeeded in eliminating the last of the goats on Española (1978) and then on Marchena (1979). Next they moved on to Pinta and began with considerable success the uphill task of controlling the 20,000goats that were rapidly destroying the island's unique ecosystems. Meanwhile the most that was attempted on Santiago was a holding operation with critically endangered plant communities protected by goat-proof fences, though studies of the habits and breeding cycles of the goats and pigs were continued with a view to providing a scientific basis for eventual action.
But action on the feral dog menace could not wait. Hans Kruuk, an expert on canines,and the herpetologist, Howard Snell, made a three-month study of the situation.They concluded that a swift and drastic campaign was needed to control the upsurge of packs of feral dogs along the western coast of Isabela. These dogs were attacking the endemic species - marine iguanas, fur seals, flightless cormorants and penguins- which were not adapted to coping with this new form of predation; the marine iguanas, in particular, could not long sustain the current rate of attrition. Kruuk and Snell also pointed out that, unless checked, the dogs might cross the lava wastelands of the Perry Isthmus and invade the vitally important ecological areas of northern Isabela. They further recommended another urgent campaign against the wild dogs on Santa Cruz, which had recently killed so many land iguanas and young tortoises. On the basis of this advice, the CDRS and the GNPS began pilot studies to work out tactics for an all-out operation to eliminate both lots of dogs. The Kruuk-Snell report also recommended long-term research into the population dynamics of the marine iguanas, about which surprisingly little was known in spite of their prominence on the Galapagos scene.
Research on a number of species of sea birds was pursued and special attention was devoted to the dark-rumped petrel,the only sea bird that appeared in danger of extinction. There was still a substantial population of these large pelagic birds and they were safe as long as they stayed at sea, but devoted research under harsh conditions by M.P. Harris, Robert Tomkins, Ruth Baker and Fiona Bass revealed that, when they came ashore to nest in the burrows they dug in the moist soil of the uplands of the larger islands, they were under increasing attack from rats, pigs and dogs. Breeding success was dismally low and the petrels´ numbers were declining ominously.
Various improvements were made to the Station's buildings.The large Van Straelen Hall, which had served for training courses and seminars, was now filled out as an exhibition and information centre for visitors. It was inaugurated by the Vice-President, Oswaldo Hurtado (later President of the Republic). With staff still increasing, a much needed administration building was completed and named in honour of Cristóbal Bonifaz, one of the CDF´s founders. Extensions were made to the laboratory, the library,the workshops and the accommodation for scientists. A mariographic station was installed.
For the first time, the CDRS published a large annual report in both English and Spanish. As little of the vast amount of literature on Galapagos science was available in the Spanish language, a substantial volume of translations of outstanding articles was compiled and published to give Ecuadorians a better idea of the scientific work being done in their island province.
While still awaiting a government decision on the creation of a protected marine zone, a seminar was held attended by all the interested organizations, local and national, to consider interim measures for the preservation of the marine resources. In order to further scientific activity on this front, the CDF decided to sell Beagle III and buy another vessel better adapted to marine research.