Aqua Expeditions Partners With The Charles Darwin Foundation To Support Conservation Efforts In The Galapag

Aqua Expeditions has entered a partnership with the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) to support conservation efforts in Galapagos. The region’s largest and oldest conservation organization, CDF focuses on conserving the Galapagos’ unique biodiversity through scientific research, resonating closely with Aqua’s mission to conserve aquatic biodiversity across the destinations they sail.

This partnership aims to raise funds for the CDF’s Shark Ecology and Conservation, and Education and Outreach Programs. These programs seek to protect and restore endemic shark populations and promote effective mangrove conservation. Guest activation is a key part of this partnership, this includes the education of Aqua Mare guests by CDF delegates on board the superyacht or at the CDF’s Marine Research Center. The goal is to offer a deeper insight into the significance of the foundation’s conservation efforts.

Guests can also contribute to the fundraising efforts through donations or the purchase of CDF merchandise on board Aqua Mare. A $500 donation towards the mangrove ecology will see 50 mangrove seedlings reared to restore a mangrove area affected by a volcanic eruption, while $500 towards shark ecology contributes to health checks for 10 sharks. This includes blood analysis for a population health study. Beyond the fundraising, Aqua Expeditions has also pledged an annual donation of $5000 to support the CDF’s Shark Ecology and Conservation, and Education and Outreach Programs.

Shark Ecology

The CDF’s Shark Ecology and Conservation Program aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) in protecting endemic shark populations. The program focuses on understanding local distribution patterns, population status, movement patterns, and levels of connectivity of shark species within the archipelago. This information is then used to develop effective management plans for the long-term conservation and protection of these sharks. Furthermore, all this information is gathered as a baseline to study the effects of climate change on shark populations. Supporting the program will contribute to the development and implementation of science-based shark conservation strategies that will help improve the protection of the region’s shark populations.

Mangrove Ecology and Climate Change

Mangroves are the most efficient carbon capture and storage system in the world, storing more carbon per unit than any other ecosystem, making them of critical importance in mitigating climate change. Despite its overwhelming importance, the Galapagos mangrove ecosystem has traditionally been overlooked by scientists and conservationists alike. The CDF’s Mangrove Ecology Program focuses on the identification of key mangrove areas that contribute to carbon storage, biodiversity, and marine protection. This program supports the research and conservation of a critically understudied ecosystem, vital for climate change mitigation.

Since its inception, Aqua Expeditions has been dedicated to the conservation of aquatic biodiversity across all the destinations it sails. Initiatives include the rehabilitation of the endangered Taricaya Turtles in the Peruvian Amazon and partnership with the Indonesian Manta Project among many others. It’s partnership with the CDF highlights Aqua Expedition’s continued commitment to responsible tourism and comes alongside the brand’s recent global sustainability partnership with 4Ocean and pledge to reduce carbon emissions with Science Based Target Initiatives.