The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago off the coast of South America, known for their diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife. The islands are home to 28,000 people and are a territory of Ecuador. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution was developed on the islands, which are now under threat from environmental degradation caused by human activities.
The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago, or chain, of 13 large islands with about 100 small islets. These islands are approximately 600 miles (966km) off the coast of South America and are a territory of Ecuador. Only five of the Galapagos Islands are inhabited by people with an approximate population of 28,000.
Located on the equator, the Galapagos Islands are most famous for their very diverse and rich ecosystems. However, the Galapagos Islands are not only famous for their wild inhabitants, but also for their unique geological composition and their importance in the development of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.
The fauna of the Galapagos Islands includes plant, reptile and bird species found nowhere else on the planet. Additionally, the wildlife that inhabits each island is unique and usually not found on any of the other surrounding islands. One of the most famous species of this archipelago, the Galapagos tortoise, is the namesake of the islands. Here resides “the lonely George”, believed to be the last surviving individual of a species of giant Galapagos tortoises. Other notable species are the marine iguana, thirteen endemic finch species known as Darwin’s finches; the Galapagos penguin, which is the only penguin found outside Antarctica; and Scalesia or “tree daisy,” a family of shrubs and trees often referred to as the Darwin’s finches of the plant world.
Surrounding the Galapagos Islands is a large 82-mile (642 km) marine reserve that has just as rich an aquatic ecosystem as the islands. In fact, the biodiversity in the Galapagos Marine Reserve contains more plant and animal species than anywhere else in the world except Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. One of the reasons the Galapagos Marine Reserve is so unique is because it is in a geographical location where currents of different waters meet. This results in at least four different biogeographical habitats being relatively close to each other.
In 1831, Charles Darwin was commissioned by the British government to participate in a worldwide expedition as an appointed naturalist. It was on the Galapagos Islands that Darwin confirmed emerging suspicions that life on earth was not created all at once, but rather changed and evolved over time. For example, after observing that mainland species looked similar to species found on islands but lived in completely different habitats, Darwin developed his theory of natural selection.
At the start of the expedition, Darwin, like most people, believed in the theory of creation; the theory that everything on earth was created directly by the hand of God in its original form. Darwin emerged from the Galapagos Islands with his Theory of Evolution which is now widely accepted by most scholars. In honor of this profound discovery, the Charles Darwin Foundation was developed, which still conducts important research and conservation activities. One of the Galapagos Islands is named after Darwin and is home to the foundation’s headquarters.
Unfortunately, the Galapagos Islands are under threat due to environmental degradation. Many of the native species have been threatened or extinct due to alien species introduced along with other human activities. A major problem for the Galapagos Islands is the introduction of domesticated goats, which were released by sailors to be hunted as a food source. Since goats have no natural predators on the islands, their population has exploded. These goats have devastated much of the vegetation and have forced giant tortoises and other species to compete unsuccessfully for food. The Charles Darwin Foundation, the Ecuadorian government and other conservationists have worked hard to eradicate goats and other non-native species, with good success.
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