A Global Gathering for Galapagos 31st July (NOC 7-9pm)
celebrating the Charles Darwin Foundation’s 65th anniversary and the incredible biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands
with live link-up to the Charles Darwin Research Station, Galapagos https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/
For 65 years, the Charles Darwin Foundation has been at the forefront of conservation in Galapagos. Home to over 1,900 species found nowhere else on Earth, Galapagos is a living laboratory of evolution and resilience. On these islands, cormorants no longer fly, marine iguanas forage at sea, and penguins swim north of the equator. From giant tortoises roaming volcanic craters to the mockingbirds that inspired the theory of evolution, these islands are a global treasure of biodiversity.
However, climate change, invasive species, and human activity are pushing these species toward extinction. With more invasive species than native ones, Galapagos faces a critical moment—but there is still time to act.
Protecting Galapagos is more than saving a unique ecosystem. It’s a chance to prove that conservation works and that, even in the face of a global extinction crisis, we can protect biodiversity—and offer hope for our planet’s future
Many Southampton staff and former students have, and still are collaborating with the Charles Darwin Research Station. The evening will be hosted by Dr Ken Collins, recently returned from there, who first visited in 1987 returning regularly to run projects: establishing the Galapagos Marine Reserve and protecting it from marine invasive species, plus student field courses.
