Amanda Thompson named permanent director of the Center for Galapagos Studies
The human biologist has been interim director of the center since 2023 and is also co-director of the Galapagos Science Center.
March 14, 2025
Photo: Joshua Vela
The human biologist has been interim director of the center since 2023 and is also co-director of the Galapagos Science Center.
In January 2025, a team of scientists from Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), the Galápagos Science Center (GSC) and the Galápagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) carried out a two-week expedition to Paramount: a shallow-water seamount rising from a depth of over 1500 m to only 180 m below the surface, located 100 nautical miles northeast of the Galápagos Marine Reserve. The objective of the expedition was to characterize the fish community around the seamount and explore its connections with Galápagos. The work was supported by the organizations Mission Blue, Galápagos Conservation Trust, MigraMar and Bezos Earth Fund.
At Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), through the Galapagos Science Center (GSC), we are committed to biodiversity conservation and the well-being of island ecosystems. As part of this effort, we are leading the strategic planning for the implementation of a Comprehensive Wildlife Health System in the Galapagos Islands, an innovative model based on the One Health approach, which recognizes the connection between animal, environmental, and human health.
Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) and Metropolitan Touring have signed a collaboration agreement for the conservation of the whale shark, the world’s largest fish. This partnership reaffirms the commitment of both institutions to sustainability and the protection of the biodiversity of the Galápagos Islands. The initiative is being carried out in coordination with the Galápagos National Park Directorate (GNPD), the authority responsible for protecting the archipelago’s unique ecosystems.
Six agro-based businesses adding value to local raw materials have been selected for the REACCT (Reactivating the Economy through Science, Community, and Work) project in San Cristóbal, Galápagos. These businesses: Galafruit, El Trapiche, Asecris/Chatham, Green Island, Lácteos San Cristóbal, and Galápagos Natural Harmony, were chosen based on criteria such as impact, market access, and innovation. All of them have previously participated in the Rural Business Schools initiative led by Heifer Ecuador Foundation in San Cristóbal.
Captain Darwin is an NGO dedicated to documenting environmental and biodiversity changes in the places visited by world-famous naturalist Charles Darwin during his voyage on the HMS Beagle 189 years ago. This NGO provides logistical support, through the use of its vessel, to local researchers at each stop on Darwin’s historic voyage.
This year, we celebrate 13 years of impactful work in conservation, research, and sustainable development in the Galápagos Islands. In our newsletter and annual impact report, we invite you to explore how we have contributed to preserving this natural heritage through scientific expeditions, innovative digital tools, and health and education programs. Explore the latest advancements, scientific findings, and inspiring stories from 2024 Don’t miss out—join us on our journey toward a more sustainable Galápagos!
A recent study conducted on San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos, successfully identified nursery areas of the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) using drones as the primary tool. This research compared the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with traditional methods such as gillnets, revealing that drones allow for significantly higher and non-invasive detection of juvenile sharks in coastal areas.
Chondrichthyans, a class of aquatic vertebrates (sharks, rays, and chimaeras), are facing a global extinction crisis driven by overfishing, habitat degradation, climate change, and pollution. Of the approximately 1,250 species studied, more than one third (37%) are at risk of extinction according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, making this group the second most threatened among vertebrates.
The Spotted Scorpionfish (Pontinus clemensi) is a species of high economic, ecological, and cultural value in the Galápagos Islands. In recent years, it has gained relevance in the artisanal fisheries of the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR) due to the overexploitation of traditional species such as bacalao (Mycteroperca olfax) and camotillo (Paralabrax albomaculatus). As a result, its presence in local markets and its consumption within the community have increased.
This study analyzed how land use changes affect two bird species in the Galápagos: the small ground finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) and the yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia aureola). The goal was to understand whether habitat alterations, caused by urbanization and agriculture on human-populated islands, affect their size, weight, and levels of the hormone corticosterone, which is linked to stress.
The blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii excisa) is an iconic and endemic species of the Galápagos Islands. While its behavior and reproductive biology have been widely studied, little is known about its health in the wild. This type of information is essential to understand how environmental factors may impact its well-being, especially in the context of climate change and declining prey availability. The recent study aims to provide baseline health data that can support conservation strategies.
The marine iguanas of Galápagos (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) have the ability to lower their heart rate to conserve energy—an adaptation developed to cope with El Niño events. During these periods, warmer ocean temperatures reduce algae, their main food source, threatening the survival of the world’s only marine lizard.
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are known as one of the ocean’s most versatile predators, yet their behavior in tropical waters remains a mystery. This study documents, for the first time, orca attacks on whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) in Ecuador and Panama, providing valuable insights into their hunting strategies in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Understanding these events is key to expanding knowledge about this predator’s dynamics in the region.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on San Cristóbal Island, will host the 7th Symposium on Research and Conservation in Galápagos. This important multidisciplinary event, which will take place on Monday, July 14 and Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at the Charles Darwin Convention Center, will be organized by the Galapagos Science Center, thanks to the sponsorship of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and with the support of the Galápagos National Park.
The 6th Galápagos Research and Conservation Symposium took place on Monday, July 15 and Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at the Charles Darwin Convention Center on San Cristóbal, Galápagos. This important multidisciplinary event was organized by the Galapagos Science Center, with the sponsorship of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito with the endorsement of the Galapagos National Park.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on San Cristóbal Island, will host the 5th Galapagos Research and Conservation Symposium. This significant multidisciplinary event will feature scientific presentations and community-focused talks, showcasing research and initiatives related to conservation, environmental change, biodiversity and oceans, health, and community initiatives.
In 2022, the Galapagos Science Center (GSC) and the broader UNC & USFQ Galapagos Initiative celebrated its 10th Anniversary. The GSC hosted the World Summit on Island Sustainability on June 26–30, 2022 at the Galapagos Science Center and the Community Convention Center on San Cristobal Island.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on San Cristóbal Island, will host the 7th Symposium on Research and Conservation in Galápagos. This important multidisciplinary event, which will take place on Monday, July 14 and Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at the Charles Darwin Convention Center, will be organized by the Galapagos Science Center, thanks to the sponsorship of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and with the support of the Galápagos National Park.
The 6th Galápagos Research and Conservation Symposium took place on Monday, July 15 and Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at the Charles Darwin Convention Center on San Cristóbal, Galápagos. This important multidisciplinary event was organized by the Galapagos Science Center, with the sponsorship of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito with the endorsement of the Galapagos National Park.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, on San Cristóbal Island, will host the 5th Galapagos Research and Conservation Symposium. This significant multidisciplinary event will feature scientific presentations and community-focused talks, showcasing research and initiatives related to conservation, environmental change, biodiversity and oceans, health, and community initiatives.
In 2022, the Galapagos Science Center (GSC) and the broader UNC & USFQ Galapagos Initiative celebrated its 10th Anniversary. The GSC hosted the World Summit on Island Sustainability on June 26–30, 2022 at the Galapagos Science Center and the Community Convention Center on San Cristobal Island.
In 2022, the Galapagos Science Center (GSC) and the broader UNC & USFQ Galapagos Initiative will celebrate its 10th Anniversary. We are proud to announce the World Summit on Island Sustainability scheduled to be held on June 26–30, 2022 at the Galapagos Science Center and the Community Convention Center on San Cristobal Island.
The content of the World Summit will be distributed globally through social media and results documented through papers published in a book written as part of the Galapagos Book Series by Springer Nature and edited by Steve Walsh (UNC) & Carlos Mena (USFQ) as well as Jill Stewart (UNC) and Juan Pablo Muñoz (GSC/USC). The book will be inclusive and accessible by the broader island community including scientists, managers, residents, tourists, and government and non-government organizations.
While the most obvious goal of organizing the World Summit on Island Sustainability is to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the GSC and the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, other goals will be addressed through special opportunities created as part of our operational planning of the World Summit.
For instance, we seek to elevate and highlight the Galapagos in the island conservation discourse, seeking to interact with other island networks in more obvious and conspicuous ways to benefit the Galapagos Islands, the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, and the world. We will seize the opportunity to further develop the I2N2 – International Islands Network-of-Networks. Further, we wish to highlight and emphasize multiple visions of a sustainable future for the Galapagos Islands and we cannot do this alone. Therefore, engaging the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism, the Government Council of Galapagos, the Galapagos National Park, and local Galapagos authorities, including government and non-government organizations and local citizen groups, is imperative.
Borrowing from Hawaii’s and Guam’s Green Growth Program and the Global Island Partnership, we wish to examine existing global programs that emphasize island sustainability and their incorporation into life, policies, and circumstances in the Galapagos Islands. We will also seek to enhance our connections with the institutional members of our International Galapagos Science Consortium and expand the Consortium through the recruitment of other member institutions. We will also work to benefit islands and their local communities by working with citizen groups as well as important NGOs who seek to improve the natural conditions in the Galapagos and diminish the impact of the human dimension on the future of Galapagos’ ecosystems.
Lastly, we will use the World Summit to benefit UNC & USFQ and our constituencies through a strong and vibrant communication plan about the World Summit, creating corporate relationships as sponsors, identifying funding goals through donors, and benefiting our study abroad program for student engagement in the Galapagos Islands. We plan to develop and issue a Galapagos Sustainability Communique after the World Summit that includes the vision and insights of all its participants for a sustainable Galapagos with applicability to global island settings.
We are eager to hear your perspective and have you join us at the World Summit on Island Sustainability!