In 1969, during relentless rains on Santa Fe Island, scientist Tjitte de Vries discovered a small, well-preserved tortoise skull. Taken to the Charles Darwin Research Station, the find intrigued researchers, who believed it might belong to the island’s long-extinct giant tortoise.

Researchers from the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos National Park have published the first confirmed record of a white shark in Ecuadorian waters. The encounter, roughly ninety kilometers west of Wolf Island and outside the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR), marks an unusual sighting of this species in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, where sightings south of Mexico's coastline are exceptionally rare.

The Charles Darwin Foundation has appointed Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg to its Board of Directors, effective 1 January 2026. He brings extensive leadership experience in global health, academia, and philanthropy, including senior roles at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Harvard University, and the U.S. National Academy of Medicine.

12 Little Vermilion Flycatcher chicks fledge the nest, in most successful nesting season yet in Santa Cruz Island

Explore how your company can make a meaningful difference in one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders – the Galapagos Archipelago

After more than a decade of conservation work, researchers have documented 56 fledglings so far in 2026 — with more nests still active

The world conservation movement and the Galapagos Islands lost a passionate supporter, pioneering conservationist, mentor and friend with the death of Dr. Craig George MacFarland in April 2025.