News archive for 2008
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Link to Peter Hiemstra’s blog
Our volunteer has set up a blog about his time in the Galapagos - including pics and videos - click on the following link to catch up on what Peter is up to: http://bathic.blogspot.com/
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See Peter Hiemstra’s pics of Galapagos
Click on the following link to see the photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/bathic/Galapagos1Aug08?authkey=ACwd5LYAdPc
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Peter Hiemstra’s first blog from Galapagos
Hi, welcome to my first blog entry. I will be keeping this blog while working as a volunteer for the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) at the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDFRS) in the Galapagos Islands for the next 3 months.
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Lonesome George could leave behind offspring.
After 36 years of continual and exhaustive efforts, when it seemed impossible that the tortoise called “Lonesome George” - the last survivor of the Pinta Island giant tortoise species (Geochelone abigdoni) - would be able to reproduce, this morning park rangers in charge of the “Fausto Llerena” Captive Breeding Centre found a nest with eggs laid last night by one of the two Wolf Volcano females that have shared a pen with him since 1993.
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Notice of AGM, including Zoo Tour and talk by John Parkes
The second AGM of Friends of Galapagos will be held on Tuesday 15th July as part of a wider event at Auckland Zoo.
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Avian Malaria detected in Galapagos Penguins
Scientists from the Galapagos National Park’s Fabricio Valverde Laboratory, the Charles Darwin Foundation, the University of Missouri, and led by Dr Patricia Parker of the St Louis Zoo, detected the presence of Plasmodium in several Galapagos penguins while researching illnesses affecting avian species in the Galapagos Islands.
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New CEO at Charles Darwin Foundation
The CDF has drawn up a short list of candidates for the post of Chief Executive to take over from the present incumbent, Graham Watkins, when he leaves in February 2009.
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Tourist Yacht Sinks
On July 2nd, the motor yacht Spondylus contrived to sink in Darwin Bay on Genovesa in the north of the islands.
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Website
The Website has been updated with some extra sub-pages, check it out and let us have your comments. We are trying to keep the news items more up to date, but if you have any comments or suggestions we would be more than happy to hear from you.
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Help
We are always looking for people interested in helping, it does not matter which part of the country you are in. Right now we are looking to develop an education pack for schools so if you think you could help, please email cathy@galapagos.org.nz
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RSNZ & Darwin 200
We have been in touch with the Royal Society of New Zealand with specific regard to the Darwin 200, which is in 2009 and celebrates the 200th year of his birth, the 150th anniversary of the publication of ‘On the Origin of Species’ and the 50th anniversary of the Charles Darwin Foundation. More on our […]
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AGM
The AGM is planned for early July in Auckland, possibly at the Zoo, it will include an illustrated talk or presentation on Galapagos. We will let you have details as soon as possible. I hope this will be a good opportunity to meet our many members in the Auckland area. If any member would like […]
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Charitable Status
We have been formally advised by the Charities Commission that we are now a registered charity, our registration number is CC20360. Any donations to us should now be tax deductible.
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Floreana Mockingbird - Fire Ant Appeal
In December we put out an appeal to raise funds to help eradicate the invasive little red fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata from Champion Island off Floreana, one of only two surviving breeding places for the Floreana Mockingbird, an endangered species. As a result of this we were able to send $1,500 US to the Charles […]
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Volunteer Database and GIS Expert
In August this year we are sending a professional volunteer, Peter Hiemstra, to Galapagos to help the CDF Marine department re-organise and improve their databases. Peter is a database and GIS expert currently working for the Department of Conservation.
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Prizes
Ramon Munoz from La Coruna University in Spain has won the “Clean Sea” prize for his research into the spiny lobster in Galapagos.
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Shark Census
CDF have started a shark census to establish population numbers and distribution, this will include a map of the migration routes used by hammerhead sharks, as a first step towards positive measures to ensure their conservation and survival.
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New Head of Botany
CDF has a new Head of Botany, a position that has been vacant for some time. Mark Gardner is the new incumbent, he has been collaborating with CDF for several years and has participated in control and quarantine programs for introduced plants in the archipelago and so has a good knowledge of the problems and […]
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Tourism Model Review
CDF has been working with Galapagos National Park and other institutions to develop a new model for tourism in the islands. Galapagos led the way in the 1970’s with its blueprint for ‘ecotourism’ which has been copied the world over. However as Darwin noted, it is the organism best adapted to change that will survive […]
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Mockingbird Names
The Galapagos Mockingbird Nesomimus spp. has suffered a name change and is now just ‘Mimus spp. This is likely due to genetic research, more on this when information becomes available.
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Galapagos National Park Director Dismissed
Marcela Aguinaga Vallejo, Minister of the Environment, has removed biologist Raquel Molina Moreira from her post as Director of the Galapagos National Park Service.
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Sea Lion deaths on Pinta
In February, 53 Galapagos sea lions Zalophus wollebacki were found beaten to death on Pinta in the north of the Galapagos archipelago.
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Ecuadorian Government seeks sustainable economy for Galapagos
President Rafael Correa has outlined plans to develop an alternative strategy with the object of providing all the power needs of the people of Galapagos from renewable resources, primarily wind and solar.
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Project Ergal
This is a project to develop renewable energy sources on the four inhabited islands of Baltra, Isabela, Floreana and Santa Cruz.
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Immigrations Problems - A new Plan!
Galapagos has a serious immigration problem. Most Ecuadorians do not have a right to live in the Galapagos, but do have the right to visit freely.
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Illegal Fishing
An illegal stash of more than 5,000 sea cucumbers of the species Sticopus horrens was seized in the Galapagos Islands immediately after the Galapagos Park Service confiscated another 10,318 units of this protected species.