Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, waved albatross, and flamingos are among the most iconic birds in Galapagos. Yet, these sentinel species are all classified as threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, and face continued risk of population decline.

Possibly best known for its remoteness, giant tortoises and links with Charles Darwin, the Galápagos Islands—600 miles off the Ecuadorian coast—are also home with the magnificent Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorate), a huge bird that nests there and raises its young during nine months of the year. The largest bird in the Islands, it is the only albatross that lives in the tropics.

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

Find our the latest ecological restoration milestones of CDF's Galapagos Verde 2050 team in Floreana Island and how it is contributig to...

Important feeding and nesting sites for the endangered East Pacific green turtle in Galapagos are increasingly threatened by tourism, marine traffic and climate change. Our research is helping to identify the key areas where sea turtles are most vulnerable, and to develop solutions to protect them in the long term.

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.