Overview
The Galapagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, located in Ecuador. It is about 1000km of the coastline and one of the most prominent destinations for wild-life viewing. The islands and its surrounding waters collectively forms the Galapagos Province of Ecuador. The official language is Spanish with roughly a population of 25,000. The Galapagos Islands attract around 250,000 visitors per year. It was the centre of Charles Darwin’s work on the ‘Theory of Evolution’ who visited in 1835. There are 19 islands and 13 main ones. There are 127 islands, rocks and islets in the whole archipelago and is located in a volcanic region. It is natural UNESCO World Heritage Site and was inscripted as one in 1978.
History
The Galapagos Archipelago was discovered in 1535 by Tomás De Berlanga who was the first bishop of Panama. When sailing to Peru from Panama to settle a dispute between Francisco Pizarro and his lieutenants after the conquest of the Incas, Berlanga stumbled across the Islands. He quickly reported his findings the Charles V, the King of Spain, and in his report he quoted ‘…so silly that they didn’t know how to flee and many were caught by hand.’ Berlanga and his crew unfortunately struggled to survive on the island because of the lack of freshwater on the island he was on. Eventually after coming back to Spain, his reports gave descriptions on some of the most famous Galapagos species such as the Galapagos Turtles, the marina iguana and sea lions.
It is also thought that the Islands may have been discovered by the Incan King Tupac Yupanqui. In an oral history, it is described that he voyaged to the west and discovered two ‘Islands of Fire’ which may have been The Galapagos Islands, however, more likely to have been the Easter Islands. Further evidence shows pre-Columbian pottery shards on the island dating back before Berlanga discovered it, however, inconclusive evidence makes Berlanga the discoverer of these Islands.
When Berlanga and other later Spanish explorers gave reports of the islands, they found it useless and a complete waste, thus leaving it alone. Soon, it was overrun by English pirates. England was worried about the growing influence of the Spanish Empire and supported, as well as blessed, the English pirates who attacked Spanish galleons who came from the ‘New World’ (America). In the late 16th Century, it became the base of operations for English pirates as the islands were close to the route between the conquered Incan Empire of the Andes and Mexico (New Spain) which was the centre of foreign Spanish activity. The Galapagos Turtle was a prized possession for the pirates as the turtles could live for months without water and is an easy source for fresh meat. As whalers and buccaneers came onto shore it is believed at least 100,000 Galapagos tortoises were taken between 1811 and 1844 and 200,000 in the 19th Century. Many species of turtles and fur seals became extinct . Fortunately for the islands, the era for pirates was over after the 1860’s and the slaughtering of whales, seals, iguanas and tortoises faded away.
Although the Islands were claimed by the Spanish, nothing was done to enforce the claims, and they were widely ignored. In 1832, the new Republic of Ecuador claimed the islands originally naming it Archipelago de Ecuador and in 1892 named it Archipelago de Colon in honour of the 400th anniversary of the ‘discovery’ of America by Columbus.
In 1835, Charles Darwin arrived on The Galapagos Islands on The Beagle. Darwin was by far its most famous visitor. Darwin stayed for approximately 5 weeks, making notes and collecting specimens as evidence for his ‘Theory of Evolution’. Darwin said that all his ideas and research came from the Galapagos Archipelago, especially the Galapagos Tortoises and the Darwin finches.
CRITERIA AND FEATURES
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Galapagos Islands have many features which fulfil many of the criteria for a World Heritage Site.
The Marine Reserve of the islands is an outstanding spectacle with a diverse range of marine wildlife such as: corals, sharks and penguins. Diving is one of the main activities and the friendly nature of the marine life even accompany you throughout diving. The formations of coral and rock on the reef make it even more unique. The value, nature and aesthetic beauty make the Galapagos Marine Reserve a wonderfully unique and bio-diverse area.
The site of the Galapagos Islands also display evolution through geological and biological processes. It is in the centre of three major tectonic plates: Nazca, Cocos and Pacific. The islands are among the youngest in the world, with the youngest being 1,000,000 years old, and the oldest being 4,000,000 years old. The islands also experience small seismic disruptions, volcanic eruptions and much erosion. The wildlife of The Galapagos Islands were so unique, diverse and unusual that it caught the attention of world famous naturalist, Charles Darwin. The islands show how ecological,evolutionary and biogeographical processes influence greatly on the native flora and fauna. The most iconic examples of these are the Giant Tortoises, marine iguanas, Darwin finches and many plant groups. The Marine Reserve is also in the centre of three major currents and also display how different geographic and evolutionary processes affect the wildlife. Also, the relationship between the land and sea is made evident (such as seabirds, iguanas and sea lions) showing the major link between land and sea.
The Galapagos Islands has a high level of biodiversity, especially considering the majority of it is less than 3 million years old. There are 500 Vascular Plant species, 12 native mammal species, 36 reptile species and 2909 marine species. All having high levels of endemism. The interaction between marine wildlife and terrestrial wildlife is astounding to scientists. As scientists delve deeper into waters surrounding the islands, more discoveries and major contributions to science are found.
PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION
As the Galapagos Islands are a world-famous heritage site preserving the most unique of species, it must be well protected, well funded and well educated. 97% of the emerged surface (around 7.5 million hectares) was declared a National Park in 1959 while the remaining 3% restricted to areas for human settlement. This 3% includes airport, tourism docks, research centres, fuel containments and military facilities. Every island is strictly controlled and itineraries for tourism are closely planned. Tourist numbers are limited to preserve the well-being of the wildlife and to minimise human activity within the region. The Galapagos Marine Reserve (created in 1986) originally covered 7 hectares but now cover over 13 hectares, making it one of the largest marine reserves in the entire world. Also, support by many charities and support networks such as UNESCO and the Charles Darwin Research Centre help fund the maintenance and preservation of the islands.
In 1986, laws were passed to control fishing and exploitation of marine resources. The Special Regime Law for the Conservation and Sustainable Development in the Province of the Galapagos of 1998 was even inscribed in the Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador. The Galapagos National Park Service took control of the Galapagos Marine Reserve and the government provided legal framework over the management of the Galapagos Islands including: ‘provincial planning; inspection and quarantine measures; fisheries management; control and marine monitoring; residency and migration of people to the islands; tourism through a visitor management system, permits and quotas; agriculture; waste management; and “total control” of introduced species.’ A zoning system has also been established to prohibit the local population from entering these areas.
The main threat the Galapagos Islands suffering today is the introduction of invasive species which kill many of the native wildlife. Illegal activities still run in the background, however, has been greatly diminished. The government has sustained the Galapagos Islands adequately since 2007.
The Galapagos Islands were put on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger, after the government failed to tackle major problems gravely affecting the Galapagos Islands. The rise in population, extreme impacts of tourism and recreation, governance issues, illegal activities (such as fishing) and lack of educational reform resulted it into being put on the list. The removal of the Galapagos Islands from this list was a national priority for Ecuador and the government swiftly cracked down on illegal activities, strictly controlled all activities in the region, increased awareness, added funding, introduced quarantine measures and all of this paid off. In 2010, the UNESCO committee recognised the hard work put in by the Ecuadorian government and removed it from the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.
Summary
The Galapagos Islands are a beautiful archipelago of volcanic islands with an abundance of unique wildlife and beautiful scenery. Its beauties inspired the greatest naturalist of all time, Charles Darwin, who recognised the importance of the Galapagos Islands. The islands continue to share wonderful new evidence and information as well as further encouraging research. Its contribution to the research of evolution and study of wildlife is far greater than may other places in this world. The Galapagos Islands never fail to please any visitor.