The Galapagos Islands

1
The Galapagos Islands

• The Galapagos Islands are located 1,000
  kilometers off of Ecuadors pacific coast.
• The islands consist of 13 large islands, 6
  smaller ones, and over 40 islets.
• Covers and area of 7,500 sq. kilometers.

2
Wildlife

• The Galapagos are home to thousands of different
  species of animals.
• Tortoises are a major tourist attraction.

3
Weather

• The climate at the Galapagos Islands is
  subtropical and is regulated by the warm El Nino
  Current and the cold Humboldt current.
• Temperatures ranges from the 60s-70s from June
  to September.
• January through May the temperature ranges from
  the 80s-90s.
• From October to December Temperature is around
  70-80 degrees (dry season)

4
Geography

• The Galapagos were created by series of
  underwater volcanic eruptions.
• Over the past 200 years there have been more than
  50 eruptions in the Galapagos.
• The islands are young in geological time.

5
Human History

• One of the first people to visit the Galapagos
  was Charles Darwin.
• During his five week stay he was encouraged to
  create the theory of evolution.
• First Person to live in the Galapagos was Patrick
  Watkins in 1807, He made a living growing
  vegetables and trading them with visiting whale
  ships.

6
Problems

• Such a delicate system is very prone to human
  interruption as well as environmental stress.
• El Nino also has a big impact on the Galapagos.
  It caused fish to search for other waters,
  affecting other animals like seals and birds.
• Human interference also causes problems, like a
  big oil spill that occurred in 2001

7
Tourism

• A majority of the Galapagoss economy is tourism.
• Tourists enjoy the multitudes of unknown animals
  and the nice climate.

8
The Galapagos penguin

• Most people who dont know much about the
  Galapagos are surprised to learn that penguins
  inhabit it.
• The Galapagos penguin is the only penguin that is
  able to live north of the equator.
• It is able to survive using the cool waters
  brought by the Humboldt and Cromwell currents.

9
Overpopulation

• Overpopulation affects the Galapagos and its
  environment.
• Overpopulation leads to over fishing, causing
  native animals to suffer from lack of food.

10
National Park

• In 1959, 100 years after the publication of
  Charles Darwins Origin of Species, Ecuador
  declared the Galapagos its first national park
  and preserving whatever land had not already been
  settled for protection

11
Bibliography

• http//www.ecuadorexplorer.com/html/weather.html
• http//www.ecuaworld.com/discover/galapagos.htm
• www.wikipedia.com
• http//famouswonders.com/galapagos-islands/
• http//www.galapagosislands.com/galapagos-ecuador.
  html