After ruling out suspicion of bird flu, two regions reopen for tourism

this Galapagos National Park address According to reports, on March 18, 2024, two areas on the island that had restricted tourism were reopened. Bird flu was suspected but was ruled out after analysis.

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In a statement, it was recalled that on March 11, 2024, an alert about the incident was generated There are several dead birds Some tourist attractions in the western part of the archipelago are about a thousand kilometers away from the coast of mainland Ecuador.

To this end, land tourism activities have been closed as a precautionary measure Punta Espinosa (Fernandina Island)

and Bahia Urbina (Isabela Island). Tourist boats usually arrive at both locations for landings and water activities such as kayaking and snorkeling.

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“After the technical team analyzed the samples collected from the area, the results came out negative. H5N1 Avian Flu, This is why the measure has been lifted,” he stressed in the letter.

For Galapagos National Park Director Arturo Izurieta, this is encouraging news. “In the western part of the archipelago we have the only Home to Galapagos penguins and flightless cormorants, Those who are still healthy, according to reports from the scientists and technicians doing the monitoring,” he said.

DPNG, together with the Galapagos Biosecurity and Quarantine Agency, Charles Darwin Foundation With the support of other organizations, they are shifting the focus of their work to priority areas, with the aim of observing the evolution of the virus and its impact on endemic and native bird populations of the archipelago.

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This week, the latest results from samples collected at Isla Lobos and Point Pitt in San Cristobal are expected Assessing the reopening of tourism activities in these websites.

At the same time, in Genoa and the Spanish islands, Monitoring continues and ground movement remains restricted. The Environment Agency has protocols in place to keep visitors and wildlife safe and provides facilities for authorized tourist vessels to access other sites while these sites are closed.

The H5N1 virus has been present in the Galapagos Islands since the first positive case was detected on September 19, 2023. Since then, the Ecuadorian environment department has conducted local observations and collected samples. There are live and dead birds in at least 29 locations on the archipelago.

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