In 2011, scientists, naturalists, and local residents all reported that it had become increasingly difficult to find Blue-footed Boobies in large numbers anywhere in the islands. But what is even more worrisome is that sightings of juvenile Blue-foots anywhere in Galapagos are now extremely rare.
We asked Dr. David Anderson from Wake Forest University, the chief scientist who is spearheading efforts to determine the cause of the Blue-foots' disappearance, to give us a brief video summary of his thoughts on why the birds are less abundant. Click on the
video to the right.
With Dr. Anderson's leadership — and hopefully $50,000 in support from our Galapagos supporters — we will fund efforts in Summer 2012 to coordinate a massive one-day coastal survey of the archipelago in order to estimate the true population size and health of the Blue-footed Booby population.
Thank you for caring so deeply about the Galapagos Islands and for
supporting our efforts to protect one of Galapagos most iconic — and only BLUE-FOOTED! — bird species. With your gift, scientists will be able to move quickly to understand the Blue-foot decline and create management strategies for their future survival.
For Galapagos,
