Trafficking Threatens Galapagos Marine Iguanas as Super El Niño Cuts Food Supply
International scientists warn that smuggling of Galapagos marine iguanas is increasing while a super El Niño event reduces their main food source, intertidal macroalgae. Ecuadorian authorities have intercepted several groups of iguanas, some bound and hidden in luggage, with at least one found dead. A letter in Science calls for attention to the combined pressures of wildlife trafficking and climate change on the species.
The marine iguana is the world’s only lizard able to live and feed in the sea. Eleven subspecies are recognized, each adapted to a particular Galapagos island; ten are locally listed as endangered or critically endangered, and CITES prohibits international trade.
Recent seizures occurred near Guayaquil and at an airport, with iguanas bound in handbags or plastic containers. A super El Niño has warmed equatorial waters since May, cutting their main food, intertidal macroalgae. Rescued animals require DNA testing to determine their island origin before release.
Continued trafficking, combined with climate-driven food shortages, could intensify pressure on marine iguana populations and the Galapagos ecosystem. Ecuadorian authorities and conservation scientists may face greater enforcement, DNA testing, and rehabilitation burdens. Local coastal communities, already affected by economic hardship and organized crime, could be further drawn into or harmed by black-market networks. International demand for exotic pets may sustain smuggling, while any population decline could affect tourism and the islands’ ecological balance.