Learn how to explore the Galapagos Islands responsibly. Our FAQs cover their volcanic origins, unique wildlife, and how every visit can help protect this extraordinary ecosystem.

Meet the charming Galapagos penguin—the only wild penguin north of the equator and one of the most endangered. Discover how science, conservation, and your support through symbolic adoption can help protect this unique species. Click to learn how you can make a real difference for penguins and the planet.

A scientific delegation from the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands participated in the 12th annual meeting of the Commission of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO), which took place in Manta, Ecuador, between 29 January – 2 February 2024.

In an interview, renowned Galapagos volcanologist Dennis Geist tells us a bit more about the 2024 eruption and volcanic activity in Galapagos.

In November 2020, I joined the Galapagos Verde 2050 (GV2050) team during an exciting time. The team had just returned from an expedition to Punta Manzanillo on Española Island, where they had rediscovered a small population of Lecocarpus lecocarpoides, a species thought to be locally extinct. With 50 precious seeds collected, I was given a mission: to use these seeds to help recover the only population of this endangered species on the island.

Habla Tiburón is a project that aims to improve the long-term health of shark and ray populations in Ecuadorian waters while empowering fishing communities.

It is estimated that 20% of the populations of small landbirds found on the Galapagos Islands are declining or have gone locally extinct. Our scientists work to ensure the long-term conservation of small Galapagos landbird populations for the health of the islands’ ecosystems at large.

The population of the Galapagos pricky pear cactus declined during the 1960s and 1970s due to the impact of invasive species and human activities. By adopting a Galapagos prickly pear cactus you will support the Charles Darwin Foundation’s Galapagos Verde 2050 program, which works to restore the populations and enhance the conservation process of the Galapagos ecosystems by using ecological restoration tools.

Ecologically, the ocean is one interconnected system. Yet international law has divided it into arbitrary maritime zones based on geopolitical interests. Our research seeks to improve transnational ocean governance and conservation outcomes in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, through collaboration with scientists, academics, practitioners, and decision-makers.

Explore the first Atlas of Native and Invasives Species of the Galapagos Islands.