HEALTH STUDIES OF TWO AVIAN SPECIES, THE FLOREANA MOCKINGBIRD AND GALAPAGOS HAWK, FACING DIFFERENT CONSERVATION CHALLENGES IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

摘要

The Galapagos Islands remain the only conserved tropical archipelago in the world, with over 95% of its biodiversity intact. In fact, none of the 58 resident bird species have gone extinct. Although this may soon change as a number of species are on the brink of extinction, and disease has been confirmed as a known factor in a number of population declines. In this presentation we discuss two health studies on endemic Galapagos avian species, the Floreana mockingbird (Mimus trifasciatus) and the Galapagos hawk (Buteo galapagoensis). These two species are experiencing very different conservation challenges and exemplify how the conservation medicine approach offers a means to better understand these challenges and to develop appropriate conservationstrategies for the future for these species, and other Galapagos endemics.