Ecuador: Giant Tortoise & Sea Lion Conservation in the Galapagos Islands

I spent 3 weeks working full-time with the National Park rangers and authorities to participate in various conservation and animal monitoring activities on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos. Every other day, I went to the Galapaguera, the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre, where I would feed and care for the giant tortoises, as the national government worked to restore their populations. Invasive and exotic plants and animals act as major barriers to endemic specie population expansion. Given this, I also spent time eliminating and controlling introduced plants and rat populations to help create habitats in which endemic species, such as the giant tortoises and petrel birds, would be able to sustain their populations. Beginning at sunrise, I would walk along the island beaches to monitor fluctuations in sea lion population characteristics. Other activities included working in plant nurseries to assist restoring native vegetation, completing marine iguana surveys, cleaning the coastal beaches, and monitoring the petrel bird nests. Aside from the conservation work, I enjoyed the Ecuadorian cuisine, practicing my Spanish, and meeting other international volunteers who shared the same passion for maintaining and caring for the environment.