Why Galapagos Tortoise Health Matters to Humans, Too
Join Galapagos Expedition Leader Josy Cardoso and her special guest Ainoa Nieto for a look at the connection between giant tortoise health in the islands and the ecological resiliency of an entire ecosystem that undergirds human wellbeing, too. Ainoa is a Spanish wildlife veterinarian from Madrid who specializes in Galapagos tortoise health and conservation. She is currently conducting a health assessment of giant tortoises to better understand their health status and its implications for the conservation of the Galapagos ecosystem. Her PhD research, also underway, focuses on tortoise pathogens and antibiotic resistance. Since 2016 Ainoa has been the laboratory manager at Charles Darwin Research Station on the island of Santa Cruz. She also works with the Galapagos Tortoise Movement Ecology Program as a vet and researcher. “To ensure human health, we must ensure the health of animals and environments on which all life is dependent,” Ainoa says. And since human activities in Galapagos create challenges for tortoise wellbeing and conservation, they ultimately have impacts for people, too.
Originally presented April 13, 2021
Traveler Resources
Get Weekly Updates
Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more.
Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly 100 nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.
Get Weekly Updatess
Discover the World's Best
Nature Travel Experiences
Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!
Send Us a Message
Send Us a Message
Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.
Refer a Friend
Refer a Friend, Get $250 Off
Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.
View Our 2025/2026 Digital Catalog
View Our 2025/2026
Digital Catalog
Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.