Judas goats helped eliminate 140,000 invasive goats from Galapagos
Project Isabela successfully removed 140,000 invasive goats from the Galapagos Islands to protect native ecosystems. The operation utilized 'Judas goats'—sterilized animals equipped with trackers—to locate and eliminate the remaining hidden populations.
Why it matters
This project serves as a landmark case study in large-scale ecological restoration and the management of invasive species.
The Galapagos Islands removed more than 140,000 goats from three regions in order to let their native wildlife thrive in an ecological operation that cost a whopping $10.5 million. The Judas goats were decisive in one of the largest ecological restoration operations carried out on the islands.Invasive goats consumed native vegetationThe goats were brought to the island by sailors, pirates and whalers who left the animals on the islands as a meat reserve for future voyages. Without major natural predators, the herds grew and advanced over the vegetation. They consumed everything: leaves, shoots, bark and even cacti, which were used by giant tortoises and other species.
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