In 1997 the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) and the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) held an international workshop of experts to determine the feasibility of eradicating the goats on northern Isabela. The goat population continued to expand to the more northern volcanoes, Darwin and Wolf. Other native and endemic species, including birds, insects, and plants, were also negatively impacted. By the early 1990s, the goats had destroyed the forest and thus eliminated the shade and water supply so vital to the giant tortoises. Thick garúa mists drifted up the outer slopes of the volcano, became trapped in the many epiphytes living on the trees, then dripped to form shaded pools, vital for tortoises during the dry season. The dense forests on the rim provided much needed shade. The destruction was most evident on the southern rim of Alcedo, a vital gathering place for giant tortoises during the cool, dry, garúa season. Within 10-15 years of their arrival on the southern slopes of Alcedo Volcano, the goat population exploded, causing massive ecosystem degradation. In the 1970s, goats, introduced to southern Isabela by whalers and other mariners, finally managed to cross the hostile terrain of the Perry Isthmus - 12 kilometers of rough a’a lava separating southern and northern Isabela. The giant tortoises on Alcedo Volcano provided the catalyst for Project Isabela. All field operations ended 266 Judas goats remained on Isabela for monitoring purposes. 2006: Northern Isabela declared goat-free.Approximately 20 Judas goats remained for monitoring purposes. 2006: Santiago declared free of all large introduced mammals – goats, pigs, and donkeys.Approximately 20-30 goats remained in southern Isabela. 2005: Last feral goat removed from northern Isabela.2005: Last feral goat removed from Santiago.In all, some 770 Judas goats were used on Isabela. ![]() The first Judas goats (described below) were released by the end of 2004. During the first seven months, more than 55,000 goats were eliminated, and donkeys were eradicated. 2004: Ground hunting begun on Isabela, followed soon after by aerial hunting.Judas goats (described below) were released on parts of Santiago by the end of the year: eventually more than 200 were used on Santiago. 2004: Aerial hunting for goats began on Santiago.2004: Last donkey eliminated on Santiago.Santiago was used as a second, larger trial area prior to attempting goat eradication on northern Isabela. 2001: Goat eradication initiated on Santiago Island.Santiago Island was declared pig-free in 2004. More than 18,000 pigs were removed during the Santiago pig program begun more than a decade before Project Isabela. 2000: Last pig was eliminated on Santiago.2000: The Global Environment Facility (GEF), a strategic partnership of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and the World Bank, approved a six-year, $13.3 million initiative to fund invasive species work in Galapagos, with Project Isabela as the primary focus. ![]() Goat eradication of Pinta was used to test new methodologies and train the team for the large-scale work on Isabela. 1999: Initiation of the Pinta phase of the Project.Goals included the eradication of goats and donkeys from northern Isabela pigs, goats, and donkeys from Santiago Island and goats from Pinta Island. ![]() The project was developed as a bi-institutional project of the CDF and the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD). This workshop resulted in the Project Isabela Plan. In October 1995, the “Campaign to Save Alcedo” was launched. The group concluded that an aggressive, ecosystem-wide approach was needed, with new eradication technologies. A summit, organized by the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) in the UK, focused on the goat population explosion on northern Isabela and the impact on the tortoise population. Eradication work began on the smallest of the islands – Pinta – which was used as a training ground, then shifted to Santiago prior to the arrival of helicopters, which were essential for work to begin on northern Isabela. At the start Project Isabela, the goat population on northern Isabela was estimated at 100,000 animals. The project began in response to the massive ecosystem-wide destruction caused by introduced goats on Alcedo Volcano on northern Isabela. ![]() The goal of Project Isabela, initiated in 1997 and completed in 2006, was to eliminate large introduced mammals from northern Isabela Island (approximately 250,000 ha), Santiago Island (58,465 ha), and Pinta Island (5940 ha).
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