lavas from Wolf are similar to those erupted from the Galapagos Spreading Center, a mid-ocean ridge over away, which may be due to interaction between the plume, which is centred on Fernandina, and the upper mantle. Wildlife As is common in the Galapagos, Wolf Volcano has unique fauna, differing from not only the other islands in the group but also its neighbouring volcanoes on the same island. It has its own subspecies of Galapagos tortoise, Chelonoidis nigra becki which has a saddleback shell and is found on the northern and western slopes of the volcano, away from the more recent lava flows where there is denser vegetation. However, tortoise subspecies from many different Galapagos islands have been abandoned at Wolf Volcano by ships which at one time collected the tortoise as a food source. C. n. becki is threatened due to population pressures such as predation by feral cats. During a 2008 survey of over 1600 specimens on Wolf Volcano, all morphologies of tortoise were found, including two that in shape are similar to Lonesome George. DNA studies of these specimens are currently being undertaken. In 2009, a new species of land iguana, the pink land iguana, was identified on the slopes of Wolf Volcano. The pink land iguana had been discovered by park rangers in 1986 and studied by scientists since 2000, and identified as a separate species in 2009. Scientists are unsure where the species developed, as it is believed to have separated from the other land iguana of Galapagos prior to the formation of Wolf volcano or Isabela Island. Ecology The natural habitat is under threat from the introduction of goats. The Galapagos National Park has instituted Project Isabela to eradicate feral goats from around Wolf. Eruptions 2015 eruption Inactive for 33 years, the Wolf volcano erupted 25 May 2015. The volcano is not located near a populated area. The lava flowed down the volcano's east and southeast sides, so the pink land iguana inhabiting the north and west sides were not endangered. 2022 eruption On 7 January 2022, Ecuador's Geophysical Institute announced that shortly before midnight (local time) on Wednesday, 5 January 2022, Wolf volcano sent a cloud of ashen lava 3,793 meters (12,444 feet) into the sky. See also Volcanoes of the Galápagos Islands List of volcanoes in Ecuador References External links Wolf Volcano at NASA Earth Observatory Benjamin Bernard, etal.: Chronology and phenomenology of