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The&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galapagos_land_iguana" target="_blank">Galapagos land-iguana</a>, which is a Galapagos species, is making a comeback to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.galapagos.org/about_galapagos/the-islands/santiago-island/" target="_blank">Santiago Island</a>.&nbsp;Conservationists claim that the species is beginning to show signs of being successfully restored.

With some assistance from conservationists, an endangered species of iguana is making a comeback on one the&nbsp;<a href="https://galapagoselitecatamaran.com/blog/what-is-the-galapagos-islands-chain" target="_blank">Galapagos Islands</a>.

<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin" target="_blank">Charles Darwin</a>&nbsp;was the first person to spot a Galapagos iguana at Santiago Island in Ecuador. He did so in 1835.&nbsp;The iguanas weren&#39;t found by an expedition from California in 1906.

Even though the iguana species can still be found in other Galapagos Islands Islands it&#39;s thought that it has been extinct on Santiago for at least 187 years.

To explore Santiago Island we invite you to join the Elite Catamaran B itinerary which cruises the East / Central islands of the Galapagos archipelago:

<a href="https://galapagoselitecatamaran.com/itineraries/itinerary-b-elite">https://galapagoselitecatamaran.com/itineraries/itinerary-b-elite&nbsp;</a>

A team made up of scientists and park staff discovered new lizards at different ages on the island in July. This suggests that the species is being successfully reintroduced.&nbsp;Jorge Carrion (director of conservation at Galapagos conservancy), said that the ecosystem is now thriving.

He explained that the evidence is in all the details.&nbsp;Iguanas can breed in natural environments by seeing different ages of lizards and finding unmarked specimens. 
&nbsp;

<div style="text-align:center"><img alt="Galapagos Land Iguana" height="450" src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/content-support-pages.appspot.com/o/flamelink%2Fmedia%2FVF07O4GM19OH26XYD666_land%20iguana.jpg?alt=media&amp;token=ec83d98e-b50e-4b5a-8a5d-d7ffd546ea8c" width="600" /></div>

 
Carrion, before joining&nbsp;<a href="https://www.galapagos.org/" target="_blank">Galapagos&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.galapagos.org/" target="_blank">Conservancy</a>&nbsp;was employed at the Galapagos National Park Directorate. They are the island&#39;s caretakers and managers of their ecosystems.&nbsp;The GNPD also oversees the iguana reintroduction projects, with funding and assistance provided by the Conservancy.

He explained that since January 2019, the collaborative had released over 3,000 land Iguanas.

After carefully considering how the species&#39; return would affect the ecosystem, conservationists decided on a reintroduction of the land Iguana.&nbsp;These lizards are known as an engineer species, similar to the Galapagos great tortoise. They play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystem balance.

Carrion explained how the Galapagos Islands&#39; primary herbivores were the land tortoises and land iguanas. Their actions spread seeds and helped to model the plant communities.&nbsp;Their movements create open spaces for other animals, too.

Carrion stated that these species are essential for the ecosystem.&nbsp;&quot;In this case, it was the reason for the reintroduction and restoration of land iguanas. To [return] the natural dynamics to Santiago Island.&nbsp;If engineer species are absent, there can be many imbalances in the ecosystem.

Officials are watching the iguanas. The have found and inspected the populations for new lizards.

What caused the extinctions of the iguanas

The Galapagos&#39; land iguanas are believed to have been decimated by invasive species like feral pigs cats goats donkeys, feral pigs, feral pigs, feral cats and feral cats.&nbsp;These unwelcomed creatures were introduced to Santiago Island by whalers.&nbsp;They caused havoc in the ecosystem and destroyed many plants. Some even ate the Iguanas.

Before the iguanas can be reintroduced, scientists had to clear the island of nonnative animals.&nbsp;This was achieved through Project Isabela at the Galapagos Conservancy. It was completed in 2006.

Carrion shared that he and his colleagues feel they have learned an important lesson with the reintroductions land iguanas. It is possible to restore the ecosystem&#39;s natural dynamic if you remove the cause of ecological disturbance (in this case the invasive species).

The National Park Directorate and the Galapagos Conservancy work together to reintroduce&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/giant-tortoise" target="_blank">giant&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/giant-tortoise" target="_blank">tortoises</a>e to another island in Galapagos.&nbsp;According to the Galapagos Conservancy, the&nbsp;<a href="https://galapagosconservation.org.uk/projects/restoring-floreana/" target="_blank">Floreana</a>&nbsp;native tortoise had been extinct since 1800s. Reintroduction and breeding efforts began on Floreana in 2017.

Galapagos Islands ecosystems house some of the most amazing animals and plants on earth.&nbsp;According to The Conservancy, Darwin and his 1835 expedition made the islands famous. This led to Darwin&#39;s theory of evolution by natural Selection.

The Galapagos land-iguana, which is a Galapagos species, is making a comeback to Santiago Island. Conservationists claim that the species is beginning to show signs of being successfully restored.

Galapagos Island -Santiago- is home to iguanas again

We are pleased to inform our clients that the M/C Elite success-fully completed its full maintenance in Guayaquil and, on October12, resumed regular operations in the Galapagos Islands. 
 
Reiterating our commitment to providing quality and premium service to our guests, our catamarans regularly receive onsite maintenance, and we send them to drydock every two years for more detailed and exhaustive maintenance to ensure that our guests have an unforgettable luxury experience in the Enchanted Isles. 
 
On this occasion, some of the main work done on the M/C Elite included:
<ul>
	<li>General maintenance of engines, generators, and winch, among others.</li>
	<li>The hull was painted and all of the tanks were cleaned.</li>
	<li>Maintenance of the air conditioning system.</li>
	<li>Interior maintenance: painting and retouching of furniture, changing the wallpaper in social areas and suites, and painting the interior areas in general.</li>
	<li>Improvements to the crew cabins and dining room - we strongly believe in prioritizing the well-being of our internal clients.</li>
</ul>
 
We offer 4, 5 and 8 day ultra luxury cruises around the Galapagos archipelago and are happy to be back in operation with our premium catamaran. If you would like to took into other&nbsp;small yacht and catamaran options please check:&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.voyagers.travel/galapagos/cruises&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1634245639024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGFPEQbEiS_7rpi764-My1GgKvnIw" href="https://www.voyagers.travel/galapagos/cruises" target="_blank">https://www.voyagers.travel/galapagos/cruises</a>

We are pleased to inform our clients that the M/C Elite success-fully completed its full maintenance in Guayaquil and, on October12, resumed regular operations in the Galapagos Islands.

Back in the Galapagos after drydock

The Gal&aacute;pagos Isles are a province in the nation of Ecuador and are settled in the middle of the Pacific around 605 mls (1,000 kms) on the western side of the north tip of South America. The Gal&aacute;pagos arised out of the floor of the ocean in the manner of fantastic volcano eruptions. All together, the island chain is composed of nineteen isles and a group of islets and ocean formations that populate a considerable spot of 17,000 square mls (45,000 square km) of oceanic territory. Owing to a non existance of local predators, fauna in the Archipelago take no concern of people, helping make the Encantadas amongst the earth&#39;s finest marvels and an quite mystical location to explore. 
 
Visit the Galapagos Islands aboar of luxury <a href="https://galapagoselitecatamaran.com/itineraries/itinerary-b-elite">catamaran&nbsp;</a>

The Galápagos Isles are a province in the nation of Ecuador and are settled in the middle of the Pacific around 605 mls (1,000 kms) on the western side of the north tip of South America. 

Blog

Galapagos Island -Santiago- is home to iguanas again

Back in the Galapagos after drydock

What is the Galapagos Island chain?