Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands is just off of the coast of South America, the islands belong to Ecuador. The Galapagos Islands are located about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. “There are 13 large islands, 6 smaller ones and 107 islets and rocks.” (Galapagos Conservation Trust, 2007).Charles Darwin had studied a mixture of plant life and animals here. The Galapagos Islands are well-known for the diversity of vegetation and animals that is located on the Islands.

There are many different species of plants and animals that live on the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos is home to the only penguin that lives in tropical waters. The marine iguana eats the seaweed and the famous Giant Tortuous which has evolved many times, to just name a few. There are some amazing plants, for example, the Scalesia also know as the tree daisy, is a beautiful white flower with a light pink pigment.

Grapsus grapsus from the Galapagos Islands França...

English: Map of the Galapagos Islands as described...

Satellite photo of the Galapagos islands overlayed...

There are different types of threats to the islands population of plants and animals. The goats “devoured the lush vegetation carpeting the flanks of Alcedo Volcano” (Jocelyn Kaiser, 2001), which the Giant Tortuous thrive in. To save the natural plants and animal’s people have made decisions to rid themselves of these pests. Survival of the fittest will always win this type of game unless people interfere.

These amazing islands bring in a number of tourists every year which leads to problems. “This influx of people is leading to degraded habitats and overharvested resources, which may never be restored” (World Wildlife Fund, 2007). Tourists bring money to the islands but the plants and animals pay the price. Tourists bring new animals and plants with them that could have disastrous effects on the things already there.

ReferencesGalapagos Conservation Trust (2007) Geography. Retrieved November 25 from http://www.gct.org/intro.htmlWorld Wildlife Fund...