Galapagos Islands

Scientists Warn Strong El Niño Could Harm Galápagos Wildlife

Forecasts of a stronger-than-normal El Niño indicate the Galápagos could face significant ecological stress as sea temperatures rise about 2.2°C above average, threatening both marine food chains and terrestrial forests. The impact endangers iconic wildlife such as penguins, boobies, petrels, albatrosses, sea lions, and key habitat like Scalesia forests, with invasive plants compounding the risk and prompting a coordinated mitigation effort including invasive-plant removal and seed preservation.