e-Newsletter Sign-UpThe Galapagos archipelago has been described as one of the most unique, scientifically important, and biologically outstanding areas on earth (UNESCO 2001). Many travelers describe their time in the islands as a life-changing experience. This section of our website will introduce many aspects of life in Galapagos, from a bit about its history, to the people who live there, to the unique animals you’ll find across the islands.
When the Charles Darwin Foundation was created in 1959, the human population in Galapagos was minimal. Tourism was essentially non-existent; fishing was at subsistence levels only; the agricultural community was small; and the Research Station was being built, board by board, by young scientists and local residents.
Fifty years later, that landscape has changed dramatically and, to continue our work to preserve the archipelago, Galapagos Conservancy has changed, too.
We remain committed to the biological research that is still needed in Galapagos and which has been at the core of the work of the Charles Darwin Foundation, our primary partner, for the last five decades. But today, Galapagos Conservancy supports a much broader research agenda, designed to ensure that decision makers have the insight, data, and context in which to make critical public policy decisions, as well as a wide range of sophisticated conservation and management programs on the ground.
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Latest News
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“Extinct” for 112 Years: Galapagos Giant Tortoise Rediscovery Confirmed
05.25.21 MAY 25, 2021 Urgent expeditions will be launched to find mate and save species.... More >
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NASA, Galapagos Conservancy Partner on Rewilding Galapagos Program
05.19.21 May 19, 2021 The Galapagos Islands have been the focus of perhaps the largest-scale... More >
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Galapagos Conservancy Awarded Top Rating for Efficiency, Accountability, and Transparency
04.06.21 April 6, 2021 This month, the largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities,... More >
Latest Blog Posts
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Rediscovering the Giant Tortoises and Magical Landscapes of Alcedo Volcano
By Wacho Tapia, Director of the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative Alcedo... More >
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Documenting Galapagos Giant Tortoises: Walking Among Modern Dinosaurs
By Lucas Bustamante, co-founder at Tropical Herping and Giant Tortoise Restoration... More >
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‘Galapagos Giant Tortoises:’ Synthesis of a Half Century of Study and Conservation
By Linda Cayot, retired GC Science Advisor In July 2012 a mere two weeks... More >
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