KVN: Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
My name is Washington Tapia. I’m an Ecuadorian biologist, born in the Galapagos Islands (about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador). I love reptiles and am lucky to be able to work for the conservation of the giant tortoises of Galapagos. I have two children who are currently in high school, and the oldest, who is headed to university later this year, has decided to follow in my footsteps and study biology.
KVN: Please tell our readers a little bit about the Galapagos Conservancy and what you do there.
The Galapagos Conservancy, a non-profit organization in the United States, was created more than 20 years ago to help protect the plants and animals of the Galapagos Islands. As the Director of the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative, I organize and carry out a number of different projects in Galapagos to ensure that the giant tortoise populations are healthy and thrive, including many field expeditions to remote and beautiful parts of the Islands.
KVN: Why is this work important/how does it apply to every day life for most people?
This work is vital as it helps to conserve one of the most natural and beautiful sites on our planet. Protecting the tortoises also contributes to the well-being of humans in that they help maintain ecological balance in natural areas and beautiful forests, leading to pure air for all humanity and helping to diminish the effects of climate change.
KVN: What is your favorite animal?
My favorite animals are the giant tortoises of Galapagos and the crocodiles of the Nile River
in Africa.
KVN: What is the coolest thing about your job?
The best and most fun parts of my job are the field trips when I get to camp on uninhabited islands in completely natural areas surrounded by wildlife.
KVN; What is a typical day like for you?
A day in the field typically begins at 5 a.m., when I get up to prepare breakfast. At this hour it is still dark on the equator, but we must be ready to work once the sun comes up. At 6 a.m., I head off with my field companions to begin work. We usually hike 3-4 kilometers over rough lava and often through thorny plants to the study site. Once at the site, we spread out in search of giant tortoises in their natural habitat. We collect data on what they eat, how far they travel, their size and weight and other useful information about their environment. We continue this work, constantly hunting for tortoises, until 5 p.m. when we hike back to camp. We often arrive just as it gets dark, but take a few moments to have a quick swim in the ocean before preparing dinner. We retire to our tents early in the evening because the next morning and another day of work come quickly.
KVN: What kind of training does it take to do your job?
My work requires being a well-trained biologist. At university, I took courses covering zoology, botany, ecology and other similar subjects. The field work, in particular, requires exceptional physical fitness, experiential knowledge of how to survive in extreme conditions and knowledge of first aid. I also lead the field trips, so it is important to know how to manage and work well with people, not just tortoises.
KVN: When/How did you know you wanted to work with the Galapagos Conservancy?
I knew that it would be a great opportunity to work with The Galapagos Conservancy when the organization created the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative in 2014. I could finally dedicate myself to working with my favorite animals to help ensure their long-term conservation.
KVN: What are some challenges you face in your work?
Living and working on an island has challenges unlike on continents. Supplies are often scarce and when equipment breaks down it often takes longer to fix. Nearly all of the islands in Galapagos have no fresh water, so we have to take dozens of five-gallon jugs with us for long field trips. In addition to the often difficult field conditions on rough lava under the intense equatorial sun, the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative has many challenges ahead.
We are trying to resurrect two extinct species of tortoise and repopulate islands that lost their tortoises in the 1800s due to over-exploitation by whalers who took too many tortoises for food. Our long-term goal is to conserve the Galapagos Islands for the future – through the recovery of all of the giant tortoise populations.
KVN: What do you like to do when you are not working?
When I’m not working, I love to read, spend time with my family and play soccer.
