The Galapagos Islands: A Cry For Help

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The Galapagos Islands: A Cry for Help A window into life before humans, the Galapagos Islands is home to hundreds of endemic species, species known only to exist on or around the Galapagos archipelago, a cluster of islands, located in the Pacific Ocean just off the coast of Ecuador. The Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) and the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS) work around the clock to preserve the delicate eco-system and prevent animals, bird, insects, and plant life from becoming extinct. The Galapagos Islands will cease to exist if people continue over-populating, disrespecting, and visiting the archipelago at an ever-accelerating rate; conservation is imperative to prevent extinction. Marine iguanas, 32 species of land reptiles, 13 species of finch, sea birds, sea lions, sea turtles, whales, dolphins, fur seals, more than 300 species of fish, over “1,600 species of insects 80 spiders, 300 beetles, 150 mites, 80 land snails, 650 sea shells and other mollusks, 200 starfishes and urchins, 120 crabs, and many other smaller animals” reside in the Galapagos Islands (Galapagos Conservation Trust, 2008). Pictured to the right and the most popular of the endemic species, the world-renowned Galapagos Giant Tortoise can weigh as much as 250 kilograms; this excessive size is possible because no natural predators to the Giant Tortoises inhabit the Galapagos Islands and have allowed the Giant Tortoises to continue growing larger with each passing generation (Galapagos Conservation Trust, 2008). The Giant Tortoises were not always predator free. In the early 1600s, after arriving on the islands to restock their water supply and repair their boats “before setting off to attack the Spanish colonies on the South American mainland” buccaneers captured the giant tortoises and kept them on their ships to eat during their journey (Galapagos Conservation Trust, 2008).

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