Galapagos

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Galapagos

• 2006

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Islands Born of Fire

• The Galapagos

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Galapagos is perhaps the only great natural
paradise remaining in the world in a near
pristine condition.
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Threats

• 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
  

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Who 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.
  

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Profile 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
  

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The 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.
  

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• 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.

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• 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

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Few 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.

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• 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.

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• 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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Two very Stately Blue Footed Bobbies
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Back on Deck we begin to cool down, relax and
enjoy a beautiful sunset after our first day on
the Islands.
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A view of the Pacific from Espanola Island. This
Island has many beautiful vistas.
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One has to watch his/her step as the area is
covered with nests, lava lizards, iguanas,
mocking birds, tropic birds.
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An Iguana is digging a nest to lay eggs.
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A Blowhole
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Protection 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.