Galápagos wildlife at risk from strong El Niño phenomenon

The Ecuadorian scientific community has issued warnings regarding the potential impact of a strong El Niño phenomenon on the Galápagos Islands. Projections from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggest sea temperatures could rise approximately 2.2 degrees Celsius above normal, a threshold that indicates a “very strong” and “significant” impact.

Rising water temperatures threaten the marine food web by causing the disappearance of plankton, algae, and small fish species. This loss of primary food sources puts iconic wildlife at high risk, including Galápagos penguins, blue-footed boobies, petrels, flightless cormorants, albatrosses, and sea lions. Experts from Biodiversa Ecuador and the Charles Darwin Foundation note that food shortages may lead animal colonies to stop reproducing or disperse in search of sustenance, potentially leading to starvation.

Beyond wildlife, the phenomenon may also severely affect coral colonies and the tuna fishing industry.