Breaking news:  Brand new breeding blue-footed boobies found on Baltra!

Last week, the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS) reported the discovery of a previously unknown breeding colony of blue-footed boobies on Baltra Island.  The discovery was the first of its kind and is particularly exciting in light of Baltra’s rocky environmental history.  Its role as a World War II military base, and later as a portal of entry for tens of thousands of tourists annually left it vulnerable to ecological degradation.  Invasive species, including cats, goats, and rats ravaged the flora and fauna of the island, provoking the GNPS and the Charles Darwin Research Station to include Baltra on their list of islands to undergo restoration projects in the 1990’s.  Successful eradication of goats and cats paved the way for the flourishing of native species, including this new colony of 362 blue-footed boobies.

Photo © Hans Stieglitz