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The
Galapagos Islands are truly unique in both their landscape and wildlife.
Unfortunately however, over the years the islands have been subjected
to many conservational problems that have threatened to destroy
its delicate ecosystem. Some
of these began as early as the nineteenth century, when whalers and
sealers arrived and nearly hunted the very animals that supported
their business to extinction, as well as the giant tortoises,
which they slaughtered in great numbers for food.
Scientists, who were beginning to take an interest in the islands
after the publication of Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” also arrived
in the Galapagos to collect specimens for study, particularly the giant
tortoise, which they feared wouldn’t last long anyway.
When the California Academy of Science held the first comprehensive
census of the island’s wildlife from 1905-06, the fact that they recorded
only one epidemic fur seal in the entire year long study proved the
impending threat imposed on the wildlife of the Galapagos.
 In
1954 when the scientist Eibl Eibesfeldt visited the islands, he
was amazed by the diversity and uniqueness of the wildlife, but appalled
at the state it was in. Although many of the islands were declared wildlife sanctuaries
in 1934, there was little administration in the sparsely populated islands
to enforce this law. Giant
tortoises were routinely being captured for food or sold as pets, the
fearless seals and birds were being stoned or shot for sport, and domestic
animals brought in by the settlers were destroying the native vegetation. Eibl reported his alarm to the Government of Ecuador, the recently
formed International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (IUCN), as well as many scientists and conservationists.
In 1959, drawn to the need for conservation in the Galapagos
at Eibl’s warning, Ecuador declared 95% of the islands a National
Park.
Since the park was established, things have greatly improved for
the Galapagos and its wildlife.
The lion and fur seals once so close to extinction had populations
of nearly 50,000 each in the 90s, and although many subspecies of the
giant tortoise are still in danger of extinction, breeding programs
have been introduced and appear to be doing successfully.
However, problems are still present.
The number of escaped domestic animals is still high despite
numerous attempts of eradication, a rapid decrease of rangers in the 80’s
allowed illegal operations such as fisheries to frequently appear,
and the booming tourism industry brought with it erosion and injured
animals caused by careless visitors.
From 1997-98, another conservational disaster occurred in the form
of El Nino, which brought a surge of warm water currents to the
archipelago. The fish around
the islands were forced to search for cooler water, leaving the islands’
seals and coastal birds without this vital food source.
Several birds abandoned the sites they had used for years, and
many seals, particularly the young, died from lack of food.
The fur seals, which rely almost entirely on the fish that live
closest to the surface, were affected the hardest; all the fur seals from
the ages of 1-4 were virtually wiped out.
Another environmental landmark occurred in March 6th
1998, when after many years of effort the
Ecuadorian National Congress passed special legislation for the
Galapagos Conservation Law.
This law includes such regulations as controlling introduced
species by means of eradication and a quarantine inspection system,
providing tax incentives for organizations that train local residents,
promoting environmental education, regulating human population size,
allowing 50% of tourist dollars to support the island’s conservation,
and the expansion of the reserve boundaries to 40 miles around
the archipelago within only tourism and local artisanal fishing
boats are allowed.
Although
many problems still exist in the Galapagos, its future still appears
optimistic. With more breeding programs being introduced, more
available training for rangers and in the past years, and the legislation
of the
Galapagos Conservation Law, the delicate ecosystem of the Galapagos should
continue to fascinate and intrigue visitors and residents for years
to
come. |
