What We Do
The Galapagos Tortoise ProgrammeOur programme consists of applied scientific research which uses both traditional techniques and high-tech cutting edge tools such as Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking of tortoise movements. We are also developing an outreach and education program of which this web site is a major component.
We currently work exclusively on Santa Cruz Island which lies in the heart of the Galapagos Archipelago. While 11 different taxonomic groups of tortoises occur throughout Galapagos, each with somewhat different ecology and conservation needs, Santa Cruz makes an ideal research site because it contains the two most genetically distinct tortoise populations in all of Galapagos which are both poorly known. Furthermore, the island still holds large tracts of wilderness but the local human population is growing rapidly, thus our research outputs can play a direct role in helping the GNP manage and reduce the environmental impacts of development. Finally, Santa Cruz is the administrative centre of both the GNP and CDF.
Map of Galapagos and Santa Cruz study areas
1. Tracking Migrations || 2. Tortoise Ecology || 3. Distribution & Abundance || 4. Outreach & Education
1. We track giant tortoise migrations
Giant tortoises on Santa Cruz are thought to make long annual migrations between lowland nesting and upland feeding areas, though their movements have never before been studied in detail. In April and May 2009, for the first time in history, we deployed GPS tags onto 8 Galapagos tortoises on Santa Cruz Island. The tags, made by a German company called e-obs, were programmed to collect a GPS fix every hour, which gives us the precise location of each tortoise (to within a radius of several metres). It is an odd concept to attach state of the art GPS tracking devices onto giant tortoises who were perhaps alive when Lincoln was President of the USA, and Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species. The tags should remain operational for at least 2 years and give us 2 complete annual movement cycles. Our movement data are revealing new and exciting information about area requirements, habitat use, and the impact of development on tortoise movements and migrations.
See some early results from our giant tortoise telemetry study at beta.movebank.org
How to put a tag on a tortoise
Obviously the first step is to find the right tortoise. Here we illustrate 2 adult tortoises (subsequently named Carolina and Sebastian) that we found mating in the highlands of Santa Cruz. We tagged them both, but the pictures here are of Sebastian's tagging. We first washed his shells with soapy water and then with acetone to remove dirt and grease which would otherwise impair adhesion of the tag. After drying, the shell where the tags were placed was roughened and scored using high grain sand paper to improve adhesion. Next we mixed a cocktail of plumbers epoxy, pressed it into the base of the tag which was then pressed hard onto the shell. Once hard, after about 10 minutes, a second type of plumbers glue, this time, PC-7 epoxy was shaped around the entire tag to provide a gently sloping ramp from the shell to the top of the tag so that branches and other vegetation can slide easily over the tag. Finally the tortoise was kept out of thick vegetation until the PC-7 hardened, which took about 1 hour. We have seen no harmful effects of the tags, and they do not appear to bother the tortoises in any way. Sebastian's tag should stay in place for at least the next 2 years.
How a tortoise GPS tag works
Each tag consists of five main components; a VHF (Very High Frequency) radio-tracking beacon, a GPS unit, on-board flash memory, and a two-way communications radio. The VHF beacon is a traditional tracking radio signal that has been used since radio-tracking of wildlife began several decades ago. The tag emits a continuous VHF pulse which is picked up by a radio receiver via an antenna. The signal is strongest when the antenna is pointing directly at the tag which allows us to find each tortoise in the remote and often densely vegetated Galapagos Islands.
The GPS units collect fixes (location, date and time data) every hour to provide a near-complete picture of tortoise movements around the clock.
The GPS data are stored in the tag until downloaded to a 'basestation' via two-way radio communications. The tag emits a radio pulse every 20 seconds that 'calls up' the basestation. When in range, the basestation replies to the tag, and once a link has been established, the data are downloaded to the base station. Our tags can only establish communications when the base station is within about 100m, therefore we use VHF tracking to find the tortoise and walk into range. The rough lava fields and dense vegetation of Galapagos mean that it may take several days to find a tortoise and collect the GPS data.
2. We study giant tortoise ecology
Weighing up to 300kg, giant tortoises are by far the largest terrestrial animals on Galapagos, some 10 times larger than the land iguana, the next largest animal. Very large animals such elephants and hippos are often collectively referred to as Megavertebrates. Due to their size, the megavertebrates often play particularly important ecological roles compared to smaller species, since they eat large quantities of vegetation, trample, dig, and generally stir up their habitat. We will study a wide range of giant tortoise interactions with their habitat, but currently we focus on the tortoise's role as dispersers of seeds - by eating fruits and then planting the seeds they contain in nutrient rich piles of dung, giant tortoises may be the gardeners of Galapagos.
We analyse tortoise dung, identifying and counting all the seeds in a sample of dung piles from all over the island. We have recorded up to 4000 seeds in a single pile of dung. We will be using the GPS tracking data to find out how far tortoises are moving seeds, which may be important for the colonisation and survival of numerous plant species.
Our results are showing that giant tortoises are dispersing seeds from many species that are native to Galapagos, but also non-native and invasive plant species, some of which are considered to be ecological pests. Ultimately, we will assess both the advantages and disadvantages of tortoise seed dispersal for conservation management of Galapagos habitats.
3. We assess giant tortoise distribution and abundance
Understanding the distribution and abundance of wildlife populations is critical to conservation efforts. Galapagos tortoises on Santa Cruz Island have undoubtedly recovered since the dark days when they were eaten in their thousands by whalers and buccaneers, but the size of the two main populations on the island remains unknown. Reports suggest that one of the populations, a unique race of Galapagos tortoise, is in crisis.
In 2010, we plan to complete the first rigorous assessment of the conservation status of giant Galapagos tortoises on Santa Cruz. Our plan is to sample tortoise abundance throughout the island (some 98,550 hectares) using a systematic approach called Distance Sampling, which has proven very effective in other remote areas of earth with a variety of relatively cryptic animal species. The data will provide us with a good understanding of tortoise numbers, population structure, habitat preferences, and the impact of anthropogenic factors such as land use and roads.
4. We conduct outreach and education
All too often advances in science are out of reach to the general public, hidden away in academic journals. We believe that the fruits of wildlife research are most valuable when they touch the emotions of ordinary people and motivate them to care more about the earth and take action to preserve its health and beauty. In this spirit, the Giant Tortoise Programme is dedicated to inspiring interest in Galapagos tortoises by making our scientific research both interesting and accessible to ordinary people locally, nationally, and internationally.
To launch our efforts, we have started a collaboration with the Tomas De Berlanga school on Santa Cruz Island. Named after Frey Berlanga, the discoverer of the Galapagos Islands in 1535, the school's mission includes bringing issues of social justice and the environment into the heart of a high quality curriculum. We are working on two pilot projects to develop our skills and cement our relationship before embarking on a more ambitious joint programme.
The outreach and education programme is being developed in full collaboration with the Lonesome George and Co. apparel store. Lonesome George & Co., have made a firm commitment to conservation efforts in the Galapagos Archipelago, primarily through supporting the Tomas de Berlanga school, and the company is now directly funding our joint education and outreach activities from sales revenues (see Get Involved).
Web site design
Pupils at Tomas de Berlanga from two classes, 10 and 12 grade (14-17 years of age) work with teachers and key resource people (see who we are) to design and build this web site. The work, which is central to their computer science course, combined graphic design, programming, communication, and conservation and ecology into a focussed project. The Giant Tortoise Programme is a 'client' needing web design services from the students, who work as a team under the leadership of their teacher in a simulated professional environment. Field trips form an important part of the project to provide context and inspiration for the computer work. The project is on-going and will provide a platform for computer science and environment training over the coming years.
Facebook development
Tomas de Berlanga pupils from 8th grade (12 years of age) are developing Facebook profiles for each of our GPS tagged Galapagos tortoises. At present there are eight pupils in the class and we have eight tagged tortoises, so one for each student. The students pose as the tortoises, attempting to see the world through the eyes of the tortoise and think as a tortoise might. The research programme provides the students with updates on the movements of each tortoise and more general ecological information to help them develop a better understanding of what the tortoise view of life might be like.
The students have participated in several field trips into tortoise territory. Two of the most memorable have been to VHF track a tagged tortoise called Lolo (see meet the tortoises) and download his GPS data, and to conduct an interview with Randal Keynes, the great great grandson of Charles Darwin.
Our hope is to develop a network of tortoise friends and fans on Facebook who can share stories, information, and experiences locally on Galapagos and also around the world.
To see preliminary results click here: 
