A recent expedition of environmental researchers in the Ecuadorian archipelago of the Galapagos managed to locate 16 specimens of Scalesia retroflexa, an endemic plant in critical danger of extinction whose population was limited to 21 specimens. These are protected to avoid putting their survival at risk.
According to the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park, of the 16 plants discovered, the team of researchers, composed of professionals from the Park and the Charles Darwin Foundation, collected hundreds of seeds from which a total of 24 seedlings germinated, which are plants in their early stages of development.
Recovery of Scalesia retroflexa
“This discovery is evidence that the species is recovering naturally after 30 years, without records in this area thanks to the control of introduced species,” explained the environmental authority of the Galapagos Islands in a statement about this endemic plant.
The Scalesia retroflexa is one of the 15 species of Scalesias in the island region, characterized by the shape of its leaf and located southeast of Santa Cruz Island, in areas near the sea.
Environmental technicians labeled each plant, recorded its location using GPS, and analyzed the surrounding vegetation to understand the habitat conditions that support these unique plants.
The National Park assures that they will continue to implement strategies of ecological restoration and control of introduced species to guarantee the survival of the Scalesia retroflexa and other key elements of the biodiversity of the archipelago.
Importance of the Galapagos archipelago
The Galapagos archipelago, composed of 13 islands, is located about a thousand kilometers west of the continental coasts of Ecuador. Since 1978, these island lands have been declared by UNESCO as a natural heritage of humanity.
Due to its high biodiversity, the Galapagos archipelago is considered a natural laboratory that inspired the British scientist Charles Darwin in the 19th century to develop his theory of evolution and natural selection of species.
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