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Carlos Espinosa/CDF
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Lost millennium of Galápagos deep-sea corals linked to major Pacific climate shift

Scientists have uncovered a hidden collapse of Galápagos deep-sea corals, revealing a 1,000-year disappearance linked to ancient climate shifts. By reconstructing 117,000 years of ocean history, the study exposes the vulnerability—and resilience—of these unseen ecosystems, offering urgent insights into how climate change could reshape life in the deep ocean.

Carlos Espinosa/CDF
María Igual/ CDF
Conservation Efforts Drive Historic Recovery Signs for the Galápagos Mangrove Finch

Scientists in Galápagos have recorded the most successful breeding season ever for the critically endangered Mangrove Finch, one of the world’s rarest birds. Discover how years of conservation work, innovative nest-protection strategies, and collaboration are offering new hope for this species’ survival in the remote mangrove forests of Isabela Island.

Juan Manuel García
Since 1973, Peter and Rosemary Grant Have Shown That Evolution Can Be Seen in Real Time

In 1973, evolutionary scientists Peter Grant and Rosemary Grant began a research project in the Galápagos Islands that would permanently change the modern understanding of evolution.

Carlos Espinosa/CDF
Carlos Espinosa/CDF
Carlos Espinosa/CDF
Carlos Espinosa/CDF
Carlos Espinosa/CDF
Carlos Espinosa/CDF
Jeremy Squire
What Invertebrates Tell Us About Ecosystem Recovery

On Floreana, terrestrial invertebrates act as indicators of ecological recovery and as food for insectivorous birds. Monitoring them in protected and agricultural areas helps track habitat changes, detect invasive species, and assess whether the ecosystem is ready to support the reintroduction of animals that once disappeared locally from the island.

Miriam San José CDF
Mesocosms in Galápagos!

For the first time in Galápagos, researchers established 24 mesocosms that simulate natural ponds to study freshwater ecosystems. The experiment examines how nutrients provided by giant tortoises can alter water conditions and how these changes relate to the development of tadpoles of the archipelago’s only introduced tree frog Scinax quinquefasciatus.

Mario Winkler/CDF
Working with an Endangered Endemic Scalesia Tree

A volunteer’s journey helping restore the endangered Scalesia cordata forests of Isabela through science, fieldwork, and community collaboration.

Carlos Espinosa/CDF
Carlos Espinosa/CDF