Subject: Galapagos Conservation Trust e-News

From: "Galapagos Conservation Trust" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:19:51 +1300

Welcome to the Galapagos Conservation Trust e-News Home  | Membership  | Newsroom  | Conservation projects  | About Us  | Contact Us  Welcome to the Galapagos Conservation Trust's e-newsletter... 6 October, 2006 

Dear Mr Stephens, 

In this edition: 

Giant tortoises still on the menu - 4 more slaughtered in Isabela 
Update on the pioneering shark conservation project 
Galapagos Day a great success 
"Lonesome George" contends for literary prize 
Special Birdlife Fund launched 
Launch of Tortoise Club for Schools 
Giant tortoises still on the menu - 4 more slaughtered in Isabela 

The slaughter of the Galapagos giant tortoises continues in the south of Isabela Island as poaching hacks away at the already low numbers of the very emblem and namesake of the archipelago. On 14th September, during routine patrolling in the Roca Union area, south of the town of Puerto Villamil, park wardens discovered the butchered remains of 2 adult females, an adult male and bones of a young adult. 

Most disappointing for the CDF is that the news of this recent find came on the eve of an archipelago wide tour by the "Friends of the Tortoises" children's club from Puerto Villamil. The club is an initiative run by their Environmental Education Centre (EEC). The club members toured all the populated islands to present their work to local media, schools and authorities to encourage others to act and protect the tortoises.
Visit http://www.gct.org/sep06_3.html for the full article. 

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Update on the pioneering shark conservation project 

In our last email bulletin we talked about the project that we want to raise funds for to help protect the sharks of Galapagos. You might have seen some footage of Galapagos sharks in the BBC programme that was broadcast last Friday. To date we have raised £1315 from people who generously sent us donations to help get this project started. We would like to raise £5000 by the end of the year. Can I ask that you be even more generous and help us reach our target? 

There is virtually no information known about Hammerhead shark populations in Galapagos. We don't know the actual situation but dive guides believe that Hammerhead populations have dropped in the last decade and illegally fished shark fins have been seized. It is illegal to fish for sharks in the Galapagos Marine Reserve but fishers from outside of Galapagos illegally come into the Marine Reserve to catch sharks in nets, cut off their fins and leave the sharks to die in the water. Shark fins sell for approximately £20 per set of fins. 

Please help us raise these funds by sending this email bulletin to as many people as possible and ask them to make a donation to this project by visiting https://secure.gct.org/don_gen.html. 

Thank you.
Leonor Stjepic
Executive Director 

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Galapagos Day a great success 

I hope you all had the chance to see the first episode of the BBC series "Galapagos" which was broadcast last Friday at 9pm on BBC2. Next Friday will be the second episode and I urge you to watch it if you can. (It is repeated on Saturday early evening). 

The Galapagos Conservation Trust were delighted to have the core team from the BBC - who were responsible for the filming and production of the series - as speakers to our Galapagos Day last Wednesday. Led by Producer Patrick Morris, the team told us about the making of the series and we were privileged to see clips from the film as well as some of the sounds and sights that didn't make it into the final series. 

We were overwhelmed to have such a huge interest in the evening. The Royal Geographical Society was full to capacity - there was not even one seat left and we had a waiting list of 100 people. Our apologies to those who were unable to get tickets. 

We hope you enjoy the rest of the series and look forward to seeing you at our next Galapagos Day. 

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"Lonesome George" contends for literary prize 

Go George! The critically acclaimed biography of the Galapagos' most famous resident Lonesome George is a hot contender for this year's Guardian First Book Award. 

Lonesome George: the life and loves of a conservation icon by science writer and GCT member Henry Nichollls (Macmillan Science, 2006) is one of 10 books on the longlist announced in August. Nicholls' book has been rave reviewed by TLS, THES, Nature, Wired, Booklist, Guardian, Focus, NewScientist and Seed Magazine. The shortlist is announced in November and the winner in December. 

You can catch an exerpt from Lonesome George and view the other nominations on the Guardian website at http://books.guardian.co.uk/fba2006/story/0,,1856995,00.html. GCT members can buy a copy of Lonesome George at a special discounted price. Visit http://www.gct.org/giftsmain.html#george for further details. 

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Special Birdlife Fund launched 

In the 2006 New Year's Honours list, British citizen, Sylvia Harcourt was awarded an MBE for her services to conservation and education. Sylvia has been a member of the Charles Darwin Foundation's general assembly since 1991, and has actively participated in the revision of documents such as the application to recognise the Galapagos Marine Reserve as a World Heritage Site. She has been involved in research in the islands since 1978 and was an assistant to the director of the Charles Darwin Research Station from 1986 to 1989. 

In celebration of Sylvia's recognition by HM The Queen, the Galapagos Conservation Trust is launching a special fund aimed at raising funds to help protect the unique bird life of the Galapagos. Sylvia has had a long-time interest in the protection of the mangrove finch - one of the 22 species of endemic land birds in Galapagos. For further details and to find out how you can support this special fund, visit http://www.gct.org/funded.html#birdlife. 

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Launch of Tortoise Club for Schools 

On Thursday 12th October 2006, Tortoise Club for Schools will be re-launched at Milking Bank Primary School in Dudley where Tortoise Club for Schools co-ordinator, Tom Garner, works. 

The day will start with a whole school assembly focusing on conservation in the Galapagos Islands, led by author and science writer Henry Nicholls. Bob Langton, Don Freeman and George Spears from the British Chelonia Group will also be attending on the day, along with Neil Swann and a number of tortoises from Sedgley-based Proteus Reptile Trust. It is also hoped that Club patron, Chris Packham, will be attending the re-launch. It promises to be a fantastic day! For further information e-mail [email-masked]. 

Visit http://www.gct.org/events2.html for details of other events coming soon, including the NEC Dive Show at Birmingham, and Parody of the Penguins, a fundraising party that will celebrate the tiny Galapagos penguin and all of its marine neighbours, including rare seabirds, sharks, whales, turtles and sea lions. 

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