Although several months have passed since the Jessica oil spill, follow-up work continues. Scientists from the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS), continue to monitor sites to discover which areas the fuel affected. Of the 650 sites throughout the Galapagos Islands that were selected for sampling, only the sites in Santa Cruz and Santa Fe remain to be checked. In the next two weeks five staff members of the area of Vertebrate Ecology and Monitoring will visit these sites in a motor launch and carefully search for any traces of fuel.

The area of Vertebrate Ecology and Monitoring, Charles Darwin Research Station, continues to take samples at sensitive sites along the Galapagos coastlines in order to establish the distribution and quantity of the fuel that has arrived on land. 650 sites throughout the Galapagos Islands south of Marchena Island were selected for sampling. Last week all of the selected sites on Floreana Island were covered. The team found that the bunker fuel has affected the northeast corner of Floreana.

Update on the latest developments concerning "Jessica" in San Cristobal

Yesterday, February 15th, a small amount of fuel was reported to be leaking from "Jessica" once again. The tanker ran aground, off the coast of San Cristobal, a month ago. The fuel that has recently leaked out, according to Godfrey Merlen, a Galapagos National Park Service specialist "is from the main engine service tanks of the vessel 'Jessica', and the movement of the ocean has possibly

1. On 17 January 2001 the 'Jessica', an Ecuadorian-registered ship, ran aground on San Cristobal Island, part of the Galapagos Islands archipelago, 1000 km off the coast of Ecuador.

2. The spilled oil has reached the shore in many areas and impacted a variety of aquatic and shoreline birds and

The Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS) continues to coordinate the clean up, monitoring and wildlife rescue operations throughout the archipelago. The latest GNPS press release gives information on their activities.

The Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) has supported GNPS efforts, particularly through monitoring. Results of the various trips underway continue to come in and the impacts so far have been minimal.

On Friday February 2, the vessel Flamingo I returned to Santa Cruz. The team of scientists had systematically monitored

El Servicio Parque Nacional Galápagos (SPNG) contin=FAa coordinando las operaciones de limpieza, monitoreo y rescate de vida silvestre en todo el archipiélago. El ultimo boletín de prensa del SPNG ofrece información sobre sus actividades.

La Estación Científica Charles Darwin (ECCD) contin=FAa asistiendo al SPNG, particularmente con monitoreos. Los resultados de los viajes en marcha están empezado a dar resultados y afortunadamente la situación se encuentra, en su mayor parte, bajo control.

El equipo de investigación a bordo del

The Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS) continues to coordinate the clean up, monitoring and wildlife rescue operations throughout the archipelago. The latest GNPS press release gives information on their activities.

The Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) continues to support the GNPS efforts, particularly through monitoring. Results of the various trips underway are starting to come in and fortunately the situation is largely under control.

The research team on board "Flamingo

Today work with the wrecked tanker continued on San Cristobal. The team of national and international technicians is trying to decide what to do with the ship.

The Galapagos National Park patrol launch Sirenian remains in Floreana where recovery of bunker fuel continues. Today, Tuesday 30, two more marine iguanas were found covered in oil. They received adequate treatment and were then set free. Another Audubon shearwater (marine bird) died. A veterinarian from the Galapagos National Park and two specialists joined the Floreana based work team to