Strong El Niño threatens Galápagos wildlife, forests and local fisheries, scientists warn

Projections from NOAA indicate this El Niño will lift Pacific sea temperatures roughly 2.2 °C above average, a level deemed very strong. Experts from ESPOL, Biodiversa Ecuador and the Charles Darwin Foundation say the warming will collapse plankton and small-fish populations, cutting off food for larger marine species and risking the survival of iconic birds, penguins and sea lions. On land, the three last Scalesia forest patches and endemic Opuntia cacti could disappear as intense rainfall favors invasive blackberry growth.

Scientists estimate vertebrate numbers may fall by at least 20 % this year, and they have launched seed-collection and invasive-plant-removal programs involving the government and NGOs. The archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, relies on these conservation actions to protect its singular biodiversity.