Giant Tortoise and Galapagos Conservation

This project is based on the extraordinary Galapagos Islands and is offering you the chance to spend several weeks exploring and working with some of the most unique and endangered animals in the world today. Volunteers are needed to play a part in safeguarding the future of these magnificent species and your role will include helping to feed the baby & adult tortoises, cleaning their cages, taking care of the eggs and measuring the tortoises. You will also have the opportunity to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to see baby tortoises, visit the beautiful Tortuga Bay and spend your free time exploring the ocean and scuba or snorkelling amongst stunning tropical marine life.

Project Age Limit
Minimum 17 years with written parental consent, maximum depends on potential participants’ health.

Programme Information
Since the arrival of humans on the Galapagos Islands, the once flourishing population of Giant Galapagos Tortoises has rapidly decreased from around 300,000 individuals in 1537 (when the islands were first discovered) to just 20,000 today, some 7% of the original population. The species are currently on the endangered list and a number of species on several islands are sadly now extinct.

By taking part in this programme, volunteers play a key role in aiding the Galapagos National Park Services and the Darwin Foundation with their Giant Galapagos Tortoise breeding programmes at their research centre on the Galapagos Islands and are helping to safeguard the future of this unique and magnificent species.

The Programme Schedule
You will need to arrive at Quito Airport on the Sunday before the start date of your programme. You will be met at the airport and receive a transfer to a hostel in Quito where you will have two night’s accommodation. The following day you will have an orientation in Quito where you will collect your flight tickets and be introduced to our partner organisation.

On Tuesday, you will take an internal flight to Baltra airport, a small island neighbouring Santa Cruz. When you first arrive on the island you will be met by a member of staff and taken to Santa Cruz island. You will be taken to visit the Galapaguero where you will have your first sighting of the fascinating tortoises in their natural environment.

After lunch you will be taken to check into a hostel and have the chance to explore Puerto Ayora, the most developed town on the Galapagos Islands. Here you will have time to use the Internet facilities, visit the many art galleries, fit in some last minute shopping or just take time to relax!

On Wednesday, the group will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. Here you will find a national park information centre, a museum and a very cute baby tortoise house! After this you will have the chance to take a walk to Tortuga Bay, also known as Turtle Bay. This long, whitesand beach is thought to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world!

After lunch you will depart by boat (included one way) for Isabella Island where your volunteer placement truly begins...

Note: Our staff will stay with you while on Santa Cruz (2 days, 1 night).

Volunteer Activities

Just some of your responsibilities as a volunteer will include:

• Assisting with the maintenance of the Giant Tortoises’ habitat.
• Helping with the investigation of the ecology of tortoises.
• Measuring and tagging the baby tortoises.
• Feeding the tortoises at the breeding centre.
• Working at the organic garden, collecting seeds, planting, etc.

Eggs for the Tortoise Rearing programme are collected from two sources. Some are gathered in their natural environment, others come from the tortoise-breeding centre.

Once the eggs are collected, they go into a low-technology incubator until they hatch. In the incubator, the soil moisture content is controlled to ensure the highest hatching success rate. The temperature of incubation determines the gender of the tortoises. The microclimate of the tortoise eggs in the incubator is controlled to increase the number of females produced and allow the tortoise populations to maximize the production of offspring. Baby tortoises take between 120 - 140 days to hatch, usually occurring between December and April.

Many of the 5 species of Tortoise found on Isabela spend most of their life wallowing in the mud at the craters of volcanoes to cool down in the heat of the day and to protect their flesh from mosquitoes. Volunteers make regular visits to the volcanoes and high ground on the island to track and monitor the tortoises that have recently been freed after living in captivity for a long period.

You may also be asked to work with the marine resources department of the Galapagos National Park to research marine species’ diversity and distribution and ensure the island’s inhabitants are not endangering them through excessive fishing in the area. The aims of the research centre are as follows:

• Detailed mapping of the distribution of the giant tortoises in South Isabela
• Locating the sites where eggs are laid
• Studying the effect on the wild population of introduced species
• On the basis of the above points, establishing a strategy for the reintroduction to the wild of hand-reared young tortoises
• Optimising rearing conditions in the breeding station in Villamil.
• Continuing the education programme for the local population, with a view to integrating the former tortoise hunters into the protection programme, so that their knowledge can be used to make them "unofficial" park wardens protecting rather than hunting the tortoises.