Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Bos taurus
Ganado vacuno, Cattle
The introduction of this species in the Islands began in 1832 in Floreana, later in San Cristobal (1841), Isabela (1850 aprox.) and in Santa Cruz in 1923. Feral cattle have significant impact in protected areas.
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Artiodactyla
Family
Bovidae
Genus
Bos
Species
taurus
Taxon category: Accepted
Origin: Introduced - established
Year of first record: 1832
Year of introduction: 1832
Mode of introduction: Intentional
Introduction Pathway: Intentional
Subpathway: Animals for breeding
Introduced status: Naturalized
Invasive status: Invasive
Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.
Distribution: Present on Floreana, Isabela, Santa Cruz and San Cristobal
- Jiménez-Uzcátegui, G. Carrión, V., Zabala, J., Buitrón, P. & Milstead, B. (2007) Status of introduced vertebrates in Galapagos. Galapagos Report 2006–2007. Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, p. 136–141.
- Wolf, T. (1892) Geografía y Geología del Ecuador. Publicada Orden Supremo Gobierno Repúblia. Leipzig, Quito, (Part 5, El Archipiélago de Galápagos) p. 469-493.
- Hoeck, H.N. (1984) Introduced fauna. In: Perry, R. (ed.): Key environments: Galápagos. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p. 233-246.
- Phillips, R. B. D.A. Wiedenfeld and H.L. Snell (2012) Current status of alien vertebrates in the Galápagos Islands: invasion history, distribution, and potential impacts. Biol Invasions (2012) 14:461–480 DOI 10.1007/s10530-011-0090-z
You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.
This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Bos taurus", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=5204. Accessed 4 July 2025.