Lava gull  (Larus fuliginosus)

Although the number of lava gulls is assumed to be stable, there are several potential threats which could have a significant impact on such a small population. Newcastle disease has been identified in domestic chickens on the Galapágos Islands, and poses an imminent threat to lava gulls. With an increase in poultry production, concern has been expressed that there is an increased risk of disease transfer from chickens to native Galapágos bird species which have little resistance to introduced pathogens (5). Other potential threats include an increase in human populations with the associated development, predation and disturbance by introduced species, and an increase in tourists acting as potential vectors for further alien species (4) (6)

The majority of the Galapágos archipelago is designated a National Park and World Heritage Site (6), but still remains vulnerable to those threats mentioned above. Population surveys and long-term monitoring would be beneficial in assessing the status of this poorly known species (4), and enabling appropriate conservation measures to be implemented if required.