Ecuador has secured the highest level of international protection for Galápagos iguanas following the approval of two proposals at the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The country achieved consensus support for Proposals 22 and 23, which aim to strengthen protections for both marine and land iguanas in the archipelago.
Proposal 22 called for listing the marine iguana, Amblyrhynchus cristatus, and its 11 distinct population groups as independent management units under Appendix I of CITES. Proposal 23 sought a similar transfer for land iguanas belonging to the genus Conolophus, covering three species: Conolophus marthae, Conolophus pallidus, and Conolophus subcristatus.
According to CITES procedures, Appendix I offers the strictest level of protection. Species listed here are considered endangered, with commercial international trade prohibited except in exceptional circumstances under strict permits related only to conservation efforts. “CITES is an international treaty that protects wild species by regulating their international trade. It lists species according to their conservation status through its three Appendices. Appendix I is the highest level of protection: it includes species in danger of extinction, so their international trade for commercial purposes is prohibited and only allowed in exceptional situations, with very strict permits linked only to species conservation,” states information from Ecuadorian authorities.
Both marine and land iguanas from Galápagos have been included in various threat categories on the IUCN Red List and were previously listed under Appendix II since 1975. For marine iguanas, each subspecies is managed independently due to genetic, ecological, and geographic differences.
Since 1959—when Galápagos National Park was established—hunting or capturing these iguanas has been banned under emergency law. However, illegal trafficking incidents reported during CITES Standing Committee 74 in 2022 led to increased calls for stronger protections. While there have been records of live animal exports and imports classified as “captive-bred,” Ecuador has not issued any commercial export permits since 1975.
The country enforces several legal measures protecting these species:
– Article 247 of Ecuador’s Comprehensive Organic Criminal Code penalizes trafficking in CITES-listed species.
– Article 83 of the Special Regime Law for Galápagos prohibits transporting native or endemic species off-island.
– Article 105 of regulations under the Organic Environmental Code bans trade in native or endemic wildlife taken from natural habitats.
Transferring these species to Appendix I is expected to help curb illegal trafficking and tighten controls over cross-border movements. From now on, captive breeding centers must register with the CITES Secretariat so that founder animals’ legality can be verified.
“This achievement reaffirms El Nuevo Ecuador Government’s commitment—under President Daniel Noboa—to protecting Galápagos’ unique biodiversity and implementing effective actions against illegal trade in threatened species,” said officials.
