Go For the Boobies, Stay ... No, Don't Stay

Overrun by humans, Galapagos Islands crack down 5

The Galapagos Islands are totally hot right now. To tourists, the island chain 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador offers stunning biodiversity (blue-footed boobies!) that infamously inspired Charles Darwin to write The Origin of Species. To residents, the tourism-driven economy offers high wages, top-notch public schools, and a dearth of violent crime. But as more and more humans show up -- the resident population has nearly doubled in the past decade to 30,000, while 180,000 tourists are expected to visit this year -- they bring with them alien species and increased pollution. In response to a 2007 United Nations listing of the Galapagos as a World Heritage Site in Danger, the government has taken some steps to regulate tourism, but has resisted a hard cap on visitors. It is, however, cracking down on citizens: This year, 1,000 folks without residency and work permits have been kicked off the islands, while 2,000 others have in effect been told they must leave within a year.

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  1. PermieWriter's avatar

    PermieWriter Posted 7:23 am
    08 Oct 2008

    The lightest footprintI was pretty shocked when I saw the Galapagos featured as a travel destination. It seems like the sort of place best experienced through a David Attenborough documentary. Yes, the film crew will have some impact and there's always the possibility that Attenborough will get too excited by what he's narrating and attempt to mate with a tortoise. But all in all, that's less impact than 180,000 tourists wandering around with an umbrella drink in one hand, looking for Darwin's footprints.

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  2. GRLCowan's avatar

    GRLCowan Posted 7:56 am
    08 Oct 2008

    Attempt to mate with a tortoise?Is it difficult? My experience with tortoise-like animals has been limited to heaving a small one off the road lest it be squashed. Its claws seemed blunt, and it, not being in water, was not nimble enough to bring said claws into action on me, even had they been sharp.
    --- G.R.L. Cowan, author of How fire can be tamed

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  3. Wolverine Posted 3:32 pm
    09 Oct 2008

    Good StartThe Galapagos are being ruined by overpopulation and development (sound familiar?).  The islands need a much bigger population reduction than 10%, but you've got to start somewhere.

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  4. duanjingying2007 Posted 7:21 pm
    09 Oct 2008

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  5. Zuri Posted 11:48 am
    14 Oct 2008

    The Galapagos IslandsThe Galapagos Islands is the most incredible living museum of evolutionary changes. It has a huge variety of exotic species (birds, land animals, plants) not seen anywhere else.
    This is one of the few locations in the world where animals are not afraid of humans, they will not run or fly away from you, this is very exciting.
    The exact population of Galapagos is 18,000 inhabitants, and the current government is very concern about the Island's environment and taking the necessary actions to prevent this incredible paradise.
    Zuri

    Galapagos Islands

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