Galapagos Islands - The Paradise of the Pacific Ocean + VIDEO

The Galapagos Islands are officially called Archipiélago de Colón (Archipelago of Columbus) and were discovered in the 17th century. The first navigational chart of the area dates from 1684 and was drawn by a British privateer named Ambrose Cowley. Incidentally, the original names given to the Pacific landmasses were also given by Cowley, after the names of sailors on his ship and British lords who had supported him financially in the past. The Ecuadorian government has since changed these names, but the original ones remain relevant, especially in the context of the writings of Charles Darwin, who arrived in the archipelago aboard the Beagle in 1835.

The concept of a 'reservation' or 'national park' was defined in New Delhi in 1969: 'A national park is a relatively extensive area where one or more ecosystems are not altered by human exploitation and occupation; where plant and animal species, geomorphological features and habitats are a natural landscape of great beauty; where the most competent authority of the country has taken steps to prevent or eliminate, as soon as possible, any exploitation or inhabitation of the area; where visitors are permitted entry under special conditions for research, educational, cultural or recreational purposes'.

The Galapagos archipelago meets all these conditions and is today the nature reserve of the state of Ecuador on the South American continent. Located on the equator, about 1,000 km off the Pacific Ocean, the 19 islands are among the most isolated places in the world, which has led to the development of an ecosystem that is unique in the world. The archipelago is home to most endemic species: about 80% of the birds, 97% of the reptiles and land mammals and 30% of the plants on these islands are found nowhere else on the planet. Most interesting are the giant tortoise, the marine iguana, the cormorant and the Galapagos penguin - the only species living in the northern hemisphere.

What is absolutely fascinating is that the animals here are not afraid of humans, because human intervention was superficial until recently. Each of the islands is different from the other and the multitude of species still surprises researchers. It is probably the only place on earth where penguins and flamingos share the same beach. Sea lions, turtles, dolphins and penguins are extremely gentle and human-friendly. The islands also contain 85 species of birds, an abundance of flowers and many species of fish that swim along the shore. The strangest plants can also be seen here, from polar to equatorial. Unique to the archipelago are the 6 species of turtles. The giant tortoise is the symbol of these islands. It can grow up to 1.80 m long, weigh up to 400 kg and live up to 170 years.

Today, the islands are an important tourist destination. The chance to see wild animals in their natural environment, without them retreating from people's sight, is a unique experience that many want to try. So intense tourism has led to an increase in the amount of rubbish and made some of the animals start to fear. Ecologists and scientists at the Charles Darwin Research Station are working with the Ecuadorian government to find solutions to the growing problems created by tourists.

The history of man's harmful effects on the islands begins in the 17th century, when privateers brought goats to the islands and killed turtles for food. Later settlers brought many domestic animals with them, some of which became wild, creating populations of dogs, cats, pigs, goats and mice. Also, the plants they introduced, such as guava and quinine tree, have already become dangerous because they compete with local species. Another ongoing threat is illegal shark fishing in the archipelago's waters. Thirty-three species of sharks have been identified in these waters, including the giant whale shark and hammerhead shark, which are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list. This is why the inscription of the Galapagos Islands on the List of World Heritage in Danger allowed for immediate assistance to Ecuador from the UNESCO Fund.

The Galapagos Islands ecosystem, with its exceptional biodiversity, allowed Charles Darwin to reach the conclusions that formed the basis of the evolutionary theory of species. Here is what he wrote after his research on this archipelago: "The natural history of these islands is very curious and deserves attention. Most elements of nature are local, not found elsewhere; there is a differentiation even between the populations of the different islands. The archipelago is a small world, or rather a satellite attached to America, from which it obtained a few stray settlers, who received the general name of indigenous people. Considering the small area of the islands, we are amazed at the large number of indigenous life in such a small area. Observing the craters on each high ground and the contours of the lava rivers, we infer that in a geologically proximate period the ocean covered everything. In both space and time, therefore, we seem to be brought a little closer to that great moment - the mystery of the appearance of the first beings on this earth."