Cristian Peñafiel, our field assistant for the giant tortoise conservation program, was interviewed by our donor, Galapagos Conservation Trust, to share his experience studying these iconic animals.

The G.T. Corley Smith Library at the Charles Darwin Foundation holds the world’s most comprehensive collection of publications on the Galápagos Islands. Its “Galápagos Collection” includes both scientific and grey literature, making it an invaluable resource for research and conservation. A digitization effort is underway to expand global access to this knowledge.

Cristian Peñafiel, our field assistant for the giant tortoise conservation program, was interviewed by our donor, Galapagos Conservation Trust, to share his experience studying these iconic animals.

On February 11, we celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day to recognize the importance of strengthening female participation in science, especially in places like the Galapagos Islands. This archipelago, iconic for global conservation, has become a living laboratory where women and men work together to protect this unique ecosystem. The women of Galapagos, with their talent and dedication, demonstrate that conservation is stronger when everyone joins forces.

For more than 60 years, the research undertaken at the Charles Darwin Foundation has focused on furthering our understanding of the natural systems, their relationship with those living in the archipelago, and the intricate and relationship with those living in the archipelago, and the intricate and delicate balance between climate, mankind, and nature. Major research efforts have also focused on the prevention, control, and eradication of invasive species to maintain Galapagos as one of the best-conserved archipelagos in the world.

Scientists from the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) have, for the first time, assessed the conservation status of mangrove ecosystems in the Galápagos Islands using the Red List of Ecosystems methodology developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The study concludes that this ecosystem is classified as Vulnerable, underscoring the urgency of its conservation. The full report is available in the EcoEvoRxiv repository.

New DNA research reveals that Galápagos Vermilion Flycatchers are not one species, but a mosaic of long-isolated island lineages. By uncovering hidden genetic diversity, scientists are reshaping conservation priorities and taxonomic understanding—find out how evolution, extinction, and restoration efforts intersect across the archipelago.

Imagine being able to peek into the past and witness how the underwater world of Galapagos has changed over time. Now you can, thansk to more than 20 years of biodiversity data collected by Charles Darwin Foundation scientists made available online.