GALAPAGOS FACES SPECIES THREAT

[Anonymous]

Galapagos ‘face species threat’
Officials in Ecuador say they are worried about the discovery of foreign species on the Galapagos Islands.
Despite
inspections of incoming ships and planes, local people recently found
an iguana and a turtle which probably came from mainland South
America.Invasive foreign species are one of the main threats to the
islands’ wildlife.This includes giant tortoises, marine iguanas and
finches which enchanted naturalist Charles Darwin and helped him
develop his theory of evolution.It is the isolation of the Galapagos
Islands which makes their ecology unique.Stranded 1,000km (620 miles)
off the Ecuadorean coast, animals adapted to the conditions in their
particular part of the archipelago without external influences.

Development challenge
Now,
though, the isolation of the Galapagos is threatened by foreign
species.The archipelago is home to fishermen, a booming tourist
industry and a growing number of migrants from the mainland.Development
has gone hand-in-hand with the arrival of foreign tortoises, turtles
and even a monkey.Officials are particularly worried about the newly
discovered iguana which is probably a type which breeds rapidly and
could compete with the indigenous varieties.It almost certainly arrived
in cargo and was missed by inspectors.Other foreign animals in the
Galapagos were introduced deliberately, only for their disastrous
impact to be appreciated too late.Naturalists are working to eradicate
thousands of feral goats which are a direct threat to the habitat of
the Galapagos’ giant tortoises.

[Author]

August 25, 2006 at 9:40 AM