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.

The 1973 Master Plan for the Protection and Use of Galapagos National Park was the first comprehensive planning framework for managing the archipelago. It introduced zoning, strengthened scientific research, and formalized collaboration with the Charles Darwin Research Station, laying the foundations for modern conservation in the Galapagos Islands.