Title: Galapagos
1Galapagos
2Islands Born of Fire
3Galapagos is perhaps the only great natural
paradise remaining in the world in a near
pristine condition.
4Threats
- High human influx from mainland Ecuador.
- The absence of a quarantine system to avoid the
introduction and dispersal of foreign species.
- Funds are lacking to protect the islands
- Illegal fisheries besieging coastal waters.
- Lack of legal framework to ensure the long term
preservation of the archipelago
5Who oversees the Islands?
- The islands are owned by the country of Ecuador.
- The Ecuadorian National Park Service provides
services to the tourists who visit the islands
each year.
- Since Ecuador is a small and not a wealthy
country, the tourism helps with the upkeep and
protection of the islands.
- Tourism has taken its toll on the islands and the
surrounding waters.
6Profile of Ecuador
- Area 283,560 sq Km about the size of Colorado
- Capital City Quito with a population of 1.5
million. Quayaquil is a coastal city with a
population of 2.0 million
7The Galapagos Islands
- Located about 1000 KM off the west coast of South
America
- Cluster of 15 larger islands with several dozen
smaller islands
- The islands do not form any part of land mass
and have never done so.
8- Islands made famous by Charles Darwins book,
Origin of the Species Through Natural Selection
- The islands are clustered atop a massive
Submarine Galapagos Plateau.
- The islands are basaltic oceanic volcanoes
similar to those in Hawaii.
- The volcanoes gradually die and erode.
9- The oldest islands are those that are very flat
and close to sea level.
- The younger islands like Isabela and Fernandina
still have active volcanoes
- The islands have not been inhabited by many
people over the years due to climate..hot..cold..w
etdry conditions and located a long ways from
near ports. - No deep topsoil conducive to growing food
10Few Islands have human habitation
- Santa Cruz and San Cristobal combined have
populations of about 16,000-20,000 people.
- Most of these are fishermen, shop keepers
supporting tourism and National Park personnel ,
professors at the University on San Cristobal,
Researchers and Students.
11- Santa Cruz Island also houses the Charles Darwin
Research Facility which deals with collecting
tortoise eggs hatching and caring for them until
they can be repatriated to their native
habitats.
12- The islands have been visited by pirates and
other sailors in passing. They stop and collect
Tortoise for food and leave goats, dogs, cats,
rats and other animals on the islands. - These alien specie have caused much environmental
damage to the islands and its native organisms.
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15Two very Stately Blue Footed Bobbies
16Back on Deck we begin to cool down, relax and
enjoy a beautiful sunset after our first day on
the Islands.
17A view of the Pacific from Espanola Island. This
Island has many beautiful vistas.
18One has to watch his/her step as the area is
covered with nests, lava lizards, iguanas,
mocking birds, tropic birds.
19An Iguana is digging a nest to lay eggs.
20A Blowhole
21Protection of these Islands is everyones
responsibility.
- Despite tourism, pollution, wild goats, dogs,
rats, and pirates the islands have survived about
5 million years.
- It will take lots of education, proactive
political action, and funding to protect these
islands.