News archive for 2009
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Galapagos News # 29
The latest copy of Galapagos News #29 is now available for download:
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AGM
We had another successful AGM on 28 September- this year at the Unitec campus in Auckland. Thanks to all those members who were able to attend. The AGM business was completed very quickly, and we were then able to enjoy Tui de Roy’s presentation. Tui talked about how she came to be in the Galapagos, […]
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AGM: Chairman’s report
The Chairman was able to report on a growing and healthy organisation. A highlight for the year was the completion of Peter Hiemstra’s volunteer work in the Galapagos. Peter was supported by FOGNZ and the Hamish Saunders Memorial Foundation, and worked as a database expert for the Charles Darwin Research Station. His original three month […]
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Financial Contributions to Galapagos Programmes
We have continued to support the Floreana Mockingbird project and sent a further contribution of $2000 in February. This project is being developed into a major worldwide appeal for the restoration of Floreana Island, probably the largest inhabited island that this has ever been attempted on.
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BBC DVD: Galapagos, The islands that changed the world
Many of you will have now bought and enjoyed the DVD. We received permission to run public screenings of the TV series. The first public showing was in Tauranga on October 1st. We would like to arrange similar showings in other parts of New Zealand. If you can help us organise a fund-raising showing in […]
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Tui De Roy photo tender
Attendees at the AGM were also able to see ten high quality A3 prints that Tui and Wild Earth Travel had donated to raise funds for the Mockingbird recovery project. We later sent a flyer out to all members asking for tenders, with a minimum bid of $95. We have sold 9 of these, raising […]
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Galapagos Marine Reserve
The news bulletins from the Galapagos National Park Authority continue to feature activities relating to the control of fishing and other marine activities.
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Albatross, their World Their Ways
We also have for sale one of Tui De Roy’s books, ‘Albatross, Their World Their Ways’, which is co-authored by our own Julian Fitter, and was a finalist for the Montana Books Awards. Members wishing to purchase a copy can contact info@galapagos.org.nz. The price is $65 including P&P within New Zealand and includes a donation of […]
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Galapagos – The Islands that changed the world
TVNZ recently showed a three part series: Galapagos The Islands that changed the world, as well as a condensed version of this excellent documentary. We are pleased to be able to offer copies of the full, 3-part series. The two DVDs cost $45 (including postage and packaging within New Zealand). By purchasing this you will […]
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Loved to Death
Australian TV programme, 60 minutes, recently ran a short documentary on Galapagos, Excellent viewing at: http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=838709
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50 years of Galapagos Conservation
The Galapagos National Park is now 50 years old. It was created by declaration on 4 July 1959. The next few articles explore our views about the successes and failures over the last 50 years, illustrating this with some recent events.
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Consolidation of the terrestrial National Park
The legal status of the park as a protected area has survived and if anything strengthened.
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Growing Population and pressures
What hasn’t happened is the control of immigration provided for in the law. The population has massively increased and with it the pressures on the environment.
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Practical Management Capacity
The ability to undertake active management on the ground has increased, and the skills are now more likely to be held in core government agencies than with outsiders.
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Marine Park
This has been a less successful story. While the marine park has been created, the rules under which it operates are probably not strong enough to completely protect the biodiversity, and the ability to enforce even those rules insufficient.
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Tourism
A success or too much of a good thing?
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Invasive Species
In The last decade, the Galapagos has built a relatively strong quarantine system, and the capacity to manage pests that have already arrived.
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Reintroduction of tortoises to Isabella
On 4 August the Galapagos National Park Authority advised that they had sucessfully reintroduced 153 giant tortoises (Geochelone vicina) to the Cinco Cerros area of Isabella.
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Galapagos News no. 28
Now available for download:
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The fruit fly is still present in the archipelago
Almost a year after detecting the Mediterranean fruit fly in the archipelago, the Galapagos National Park Service and other institutions continue efforts to eradicate this dangerous introduced insect from the islands.
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Charles Darwin Foundation to continue Mangrove Finch Conservation Project
The Charles Darwin foundation (CDF) can continue its work to save the rare and endemic mangrove finch, thanks to an award from the Darwin Initiative, a British organisation which funds the protection of biological diversity.
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CDF Convenes the first International Workshop on the impact of climate change on Galapagos
The weeklong workshop, which brings together climatologists, population biologists, oceanographers, park managers and governmental officials, is hosted by the CDF, Conservation International, and the World Wildlife Fund.
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Eruption on Fernandina
Puerto Ayora, April 16th of 2009.- Scientific indicators that Fernandina was beginning to spew molten lava in the pre-dawn hours last Saturday morning came as no surprise to volcanologist Dennis Geist: “Fernandina erupts more frequently than any other Galapagos volcano,” notes Geist, a University of Idaho professor and member of the Board of the Directors of the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF), based in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Galapagos.
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Interpretive Services Volunteer
Start Date Please inquire. This is an on-going opportunity and available opportunities may arise one or more times per year based on current volunteer staffing levels. Job Description Summary The Interpretive Services International Volunteer will assist with visitor and guide interaction opportunities at the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) of the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF). […]
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Volunteer Grants Writer – Charles Darwin Foundation
There is an opportunity for a volunteer Grants Writer with the Charles Darwin Foundation. They are looking for someone who could commit to at least six months, and with experience of fundraising and very high standards of written English. Experience in grant writing is preferable but not an absolute requirement. The full terms of reference […]
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BBC Documentary on the Galapagos
TVNZ recently showed a three part series: Galapagos The Islands that changed the world, as well as a condensed version of this excellent documentary. We are pleased to be able to offer our members copies of the full, 3-part series. The two DVDs cost $45 (including postage and packaging). If you would like a flyer about […]
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Progress with the Mockingbird Project
A key project that we are financially supporting is the work to save the Floreana Mockingbird Mimus trifasciatus.
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The Parranda sinks
A tourist vessel, the MY Parranda, caught fire on 14th January and subsequently sank off of the island of Bartolomé. There were no casualties. On 16 January Park officials completed inspections of the vessel and found a small leakage of diesel. Fortunately, the vessel was near the end of its journey and its holds and […]
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Charles Darwin Foundation receives merit prize for conservation in Santa Cruz
On February 18th Charles Darwin Foundation scientist Doctor Rachel Atkinson was awarded the Merit Prize for Ecological Conservation.
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Monitoring of Sharks in populated ports and visitor sites in Galapagos
The Galapagos National Parks Administration (GNP) with the support of the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) have been monitoring sharks at visitor sites and populated ports around the archipelago to learn which species frequent these areas and gather hard data on which to base management measures.
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The Pink Iguana
The pink iguana was documented for the first time in 1986 by National Park and CDF staff during a field survey of Wolf volcano. After several years of investigations, scientists have determined that the pink iguana of Wolf volcano is a separate species. Work is now underway to determine the conservation status of the species, […]
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Lonesome George not a father
Sadly, the eggs laid by two female tortoises which may have mated with Lonesome George, the last surviving Pinta tortoise, have not hatched and have been found to be infertile. Maybe George was out of practice, so let’s hope that this year he will be more successful.
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Progress in making agriculture sustainable
Fundar Galapagos, a Galapagos NGO, is working to improve the quality of agriculture in the Galapagos.
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Prince Charles to visit Galapagos
The Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall are to visit Galapagos as part of 10 day tour to South America to promote environmental sustainability and climate change. The visit is timed particularly to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Darwin, 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species and also […]
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The Chinese Vice-Premier visit
The Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) played host to Hui Liangyu, Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China on February 14th. Over the hour-long visit, Matthias Wolff, Director of Sciences of the FCD, and Edgar Muñoz, Director of the Galapagos National Park (GNP), accompanied the Chinese Vice Premier and his 30 member delegation on a […]
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Sustainable Tourism Awards
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced the finalists for the 2009 Tourism for Tomorrow awards.
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Major donation from Frankfurt Zoological Society
The Frankfurt Zoological Society’s Help for Threatened Wildlife trust will donate $150,000 to the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) in 2009. The donation, agreed to in January, will support the CDF’s efforts to maintain the unique flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands by funding such programs as the restoration of native plants and reptiles and […]
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Darwin Watch
Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen announced this week that it will be donating a total of $1.5 million in unrestricted funds to the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) over the next three years. The announcement was made at the annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, which also saw the unveiling of a new IWC diver’s […]
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Make a bid for the 5th edition of On the Origin of Species
Specialist travel company, Steppes Travel, has purchased a rare copy of the 5th edition of On the Origin of Species to be auctioned for the benefit of the Galapagos Conservation Trust. The 5th edition was published on 10 February 1869 and for the first time included Herbert Spencer’s phrase “survival of the fittest”. Prospective bidders […]
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Photograph Competition
The results are out for the Galapagos Conservation Trust’s 2008 photo competition – see http://www.savegalapagos.org/. The 2009 Photographic Competition is now open for entries.
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Commemorative Stamps
The British Royal Mail is celebrating Darwin200 with ten specially designed stamps. Issued on the same day as the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birthday, the ten stamps celebrate Darwin and the areas of his study which inspired his ideas on evolution – zoology, botany, geology, ornithology and anthropology. There are six unique ‘jigsaw’ shape stamps […]
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Galapagos Science Symposium
Need an excuse to visit the Galapagos again, and interested in science? The Symposium will be held in July. The $US200 entry fee will go towards a fund for science. If you want more details, contact us and we’ll send you the relevant information.