GALAPAGOS NEWS Spring – Summer 2017 LONESOME GEORGE BACK IN GALAPAGOS Radiance of Sunfish Self-medicating Finches Marine Iguanas PROJECT UPDATES: vs. Racers GTRI Updates, Combating 2018 Invasives PHOTO CONTEST We need your photos! www.galapagos.org Johannah Barry chats with George Dante and Ron Geigerich just days before Lonesome George was transported from Dante's studio in New Jersey back home to Galapagos. © Dave Rockwell FROM THE PRESIDENT Johannah Barry CONTENTS fter a long, almost four-year journey filled with fascinating twists and turns — 3 GC Membership A as all good journeys should be — Lonesome George is back home in Galapagos. Galapagos Guardians At the Lonesome George Hall of Hope, visitors have an opportunity to learn more about 4-5 Galapagos News George’s story, his fascinating life, and regrettable death. But they also learn his message 6-7 Radiance of Sunfish of hope. The Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative is our effort to ensure that we lose no 8-9 Self-Medicating Finches other tortoise species in Galapagos and that we, along with our partners in conservation, 10-11 Marine Iguanas vs. academia, and research, seek to rebuild tortoise populations throughout these islands. Racers This issue of Galapagos News also holds some exciting observations about finch 12-13 Skinning Tortoises by behavior only recently discovered by Birgit Fessl, a GC collaborator and leader of the Moonlight Charles Darwin Foundation’s Landbird Conservation Project team. In what she calls “self- 14-15 From the GC Blog medication,” finches are learning that Galapagos guava forms a natural pesticide, driving annoying mosquitoes away. Might this discovery lead to a natural defense to protect 15-16 GTRI Update vulnerable bird populations against the invasive and extremely harmful bot fly, Philornis 17 Combating Invasives downsi? More research may yield an answer. 18 Member Spotlight With support from a variety of Galapagos Conservancy donors, Shark Count: In Memoriam Galapagos, a new smart phone app, was launched in May 2017. This app will allow 19 Galapagos Gift Ideas divers in Galapagos to record observations on species they see, their location, and Planned Gifts abundance. Users will be able to log data from their sightings, which will be transferred to 20 2018 Galapagos the Galapagos National Park Directorate for use in monitoring, population evaluation, and Photo Contest management strategies to protect vulnerable and endangered species. As visitors to our Facebook page will have already noticed, our work with the Galapagos Biosecurity Agency continues to grow (see pg. 17). With support from GC donors, the "Canine Brigade" was launched — four well-trained (and we think, quite Cover Image charismatic) sniffer dogs are undertaking important business in the islands. Neville, Darwin, Lonesome George is back in Galapagos at Vino, and Rex are charged with sniffing out banned products (seeds, fruits, even insects the Hall of Hope on and other invertebrates such as the invasive Giant African Land Snail) which can have Santa Cruz Island. potentially devastating effects on native flora and fauna. © Lucas Garzón From sunfish to tortoises, from snakes to finches, the Galapagos world continues Figueroa to fascinate us. And we are grateful to all of you whose support, guidance, and shared enthusiasm for this archipelago and its inhabitants makes our work possible. GALAPAGOS CONSERVANCY GOING GREEN: Help us help 11150 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax, VA 22030 USA the environment by requesting to Tel: 703.383.0077 Fax: 703.383.1177 receive this newsletter by email [email protected] www.galapagos.org instead of by mail. It’s simple: Galapagos News is a twice-yearly publication that is produced for Galapagos Conservancy supporters and friends. email [email protected]. The information in this issue was obtained from various sources, all of which have extensive knowledge of Galapagos. Put “Galapagos News by email” The opinions expressed are those of the authors, and not necessarily of Galapagos Conservancy. in the subject line, and include Editors: Lori Ulrich, Henry Nichols Designer: Lori Ulrich your full name and address in Galapagos News is printed on recycled paper. the body. 2 GALAPAGOS NEWS Become a GALAPAGOS CONSERVANCY Galapagos Guardian MEMBERSHIP When you join the Galapagos Guardians Monthly Giving Program, you provide GC with reliable support that allows us to establish long-term conservation plans. GALAPAGOS CONSERVANCY STANDARD MEMBERSHIP Plus, it’s easier on your wallet (spreading your giving out Thanks to all of our members who make our work possible. We over time), and it’s easier on the environment and lowers could not preserve, protect, and restore the Galapagos Islands our fundraising costs because we will no longer mail you without your generosity and commitment to conservation. Our paper renewals. annual membership levels are as follows: You choose the amount and frequency of your gift Friend: $25 Advocate: $250 and can change your preferences by contacting us at any time. Donations are automatically and securely Family: $50 Protector: $500 charged to your credit card on the 15th of the Supporter: $100 month. You will continue to receive Galapagos News, Galapagos E-News, our bimonthly email newsletter, and GALAPAGOS AMBASSADOR SOCIETY invitations to lectures and other educational events in your area. With your gift of $1,000 or more (or cumulative annual giving of $1,000), we will welcome you to the Galapagos Ambassador YES! I want to become a Galapagos Guardian! Society. Many of our Galapagos Ambassadors are often willing to become closely and regularly involved in our programs. Member Name(s): ____________________________ Ambassadors receive special updates and briefings; invitations ___________________________________________ to attend special member events; recognition in the GC Annual Report; and a special Ambassador welcome gift. Address: ___________________________________ Española Society: $1,000 to $4,999 ___________________________________________ Santiago Society: $5,000 to $9,999 City, State, Zip: ______________________________ Fernandina Society: $10,000 to $24,999 Isabela Society: $25,000 and up ___________________________________________ Email: _____________________________________ GALAPAGOS GUARDIANS SOCIETY - Monthly giving Please charge my: Galapagos Guardian Society members give recurring monthly contributions that are charged automatically to a credit card. Visa AMEX Mastercard Discover These members help us reduce our fundraising costs because Name on Card: we do not send them annual membership renewal notices for the duration of their support. This is an easy and secure way to ___________________________________________ provide GC with ongoing funds that we can use to address the Card Number: _______________________________ most critical conservation challenges in Galapagos. Expiration Date: _______________ CVV #: _______ To join, please see the mail-in form to the right or join online at www.galapagos.org/monthly or call 703-383-0077. Signature: __________________________________ Donation Amount: $ ___________ (Minimum of $10) Donation Interval (choose one): Does your employer monthly every other month quarterly match charitable contributions With annual gifts totaling $100 or more, you have the made by their employees? option of receiving a free gift (choose one): Plush Giant Tortoise Pewter Tortoise Ornament Please check with your employer, as you could double, triple, or even quadruple Questions? Email: [email protected] your impact on Galapagos Conservancy's efforts. Cut out, use centerfold envelope, and mail this form to: Galapagos Conservancy (B17F) GC's EIN # is 13-3281486. Galapagos Guardians Monthly Giving Program 11150 Fairfax Blvd. Suite 408 The tortoises thank you. Fairfax, VA 22030 USA or visit: www.galapagos.org/monthly GALAPAGOS SCALESIA NEWS REFORESTATION WHALE SHARK PROJECT UPDATE t has been another successful year for whale shark Iresearch. In 2016, along with the traditional satellite tags, miniature pop-up tags were deployed on eight animals in Galapagos. These devices will record depth, temperature, and average daily positions for several months before detaching to be recovered at the water's surface. With this information, much will be learned about the vertical behavior of whale sharks, especially during the time they spend away from Darwin Island when they may be giving birth. In 2017, aerial surveys and tagging of whale sharks along mainland Ecuador and in southern Galapagos will take place. These efforts should help scientists to complete the map of the sharks’ migratory loop. Scientists will return to Darwin Island in the summer, hoping to establish, once and for all, whether the Bitinia Espinosa, third from left, and her family plant Scalesia seedlings as part of females there are pregnant. a reforestation effort in the Santa Cruz highlands. FORESTS GROWN FROM PASSION & COMMITMENT FROM MS XPEDITION great way to offset climate change, reduce carbon A footprints, and help preserve Galapagos’ unique forests is to plant more endemic trees. The Galapagos National Park Directorate is Celebrity Cruises’ partner for the Scalesia Reforestation Project; the first collaboration of its kind. Each © Steven M. Genkins, MD "Seadoc" week guests aboard the Celebrity MS Xpedition can participate in a reforestation effort aimed at recovering several hectares of damaged landscape that have been invaded by weeds, such as the highly invasive blackberry. Guided by the MS Xpedition’s naturalists,