The Floreana Island, located in the Galápagos archipelago, is advancing in an innovative conservation strategy that combines technology, science, and environmental management to tackle one of the greatest threats to island ecosystems: invasive species.
This volcanic-origin territory, recognized for its extraordinary biodiversity, presents unique challenges for fauna monitoring due to its rugged terrain and the extent of its natural areas.
Until recently, conservation teams had to travel about 300 kilometers over several days to collect information from camera traps distributed across the island. However, the incorporation of intelligent systems has radically changed the way this ecosystem is protected.
Technology at the service of biodiversity
Since the beginning of this year, Floreana has been operating with an integrated network of cameras connected to the internet, sensors, and smart traps capable of transmitting real-time information.
Thanks to this system, the captured images are automatically sent to monitoring centers located in Floreana and Santa Cruz, where artificial intelligence tools assist in identifying potential threats.
Additionally, when the presence of invasive mammals, such as feral cats or rodents, is detected, alerts are immediately sent to the teams of the Jocotoco Foundation, the Galápagos National Park, and Island Conservation, allowing for much faster and more precise responses.
As a result, the reaction time to an environmental threat has been significantly reduced, improving the effectiveness of conservation tasks.
The fight against invasive species
Introduced species represent one of the main factors of biodiversity loss in Galápagos. For centuries, animals like goats, pigs, cats, dogs, and rodents arrived on the islands through human activities and profoundly altered the local ecosystems.
In Floreana, restoration actions began more than a decade ago with programs aimed at controlling invasive populations that affected native flora and fauna.
Subsequently, efforts focused on the eradication of feral cats and rodents, responsible for the predation of birds, reptiles, and eggs of numerous endemic species.
The results are already becoming visible. In recent years, species that were considered locally extinct have reappeared, including the Galápagos petrel, a bird that had not been observed for nearly two centuries.
Likewise, the giant tortoises have returned to roam the island after 180 years of absence, marking a significant advance in the ecological recovery of Floreana.
What is a smart island and what are its environmental benefits?
The concept of a smart island, also known as a Smart Island, is based on the integration of digital technologies to efficiently manage natural resources and strengthen ecosystem conservation.
Unlike traditional methods, this model uses sensors, communication networks, artificial intelligence, and remote monitoring to obtain continuous information about the state of the environment.
Among its main environmental benefits are the early detection of threats, the reduction of human impact during monitoring tasks, the optimization of resource use, and the improvement in decision-making for conservation.
Additionally, it allows for the reduction of unnecessary travel, reduces emissions associated with control activities, and generates high-quality scientific information to protect vulnerable species.
A model that could expand to other islands worldwide
During the first months of operation, the system managed to analyze more than 250,000 images and generate thousands of alerts that facilitated the work of field teams.
Currently, a second stage is being developed that includes the incorporation of new cameras to achieve coverage close to 450 units distributed throughout Floreana.
The expansion will allow for more precise monitoring of endemic species, strengthen the control of illegal wildlife trafficking, and improve the surveillance of protected areas.
Given the results obtained, the organizations involved plan to replicate this experience on other Galápagos islands and also in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, consolidating a technological conservation model that could become an international reference for the protection of island ecosystems.
