Galapagos Islands

2001/02/01 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Ekologia
• Ingurumena

One of the scientific news of these days is the accident around the islands of Galapago. The container did not carry crude oil, but diesel, so the ecological problems that can occur are not so serious. However, the accident has occurred very close to the Galapagos Islands, so the concern has been imposed between environmentalists and conservationists.

Are the Galapagos Islands exceptional? You can say yes, because the fauna is unique. Darwin also thought so. When he arrived on September 17, 1825, he was saddened to see these places. Subsequently, however, the data collected and the observations made were of great importance for the elaboration of the “Theory of Evolution”.

In fact, the possibilities of development of endemic species in the islands are enormous, since the sea "isolates" them, but the characteristics of fauna and flora present in the Galapagos, as well as the ecological conservation of some of its islands, give this group of islands a special value.

Example of this unique fauna is the pair of marine iguanas of the image. This species of iguana is the only one that feeds in the sea.