Conservation of the Islands

Just like the special Galapagos Islands, my youngest brother Jonathan is a precious jewel. He lights up a room with his wide, adorable smile and never ceases to make me laugh. Unfortunately, this sweet little boy will have a lifetime of struggles caused by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This detrimental, terrible disease causes wheelchair dependence around age 12, loss of physical function in late teens, and ultimately heart failure in his 20s. His greatness is threatened by this disease, but countless organizations are working and researching to find a cure. There is still hope that he can have a bright future where he can inspire others.

The Galapagos Islands are renowned for countless unique and special qualities. The animals have no fear of humans, and some of those animals are not seen anywhere else in the world. The ecosystems prove just as important because they are the habitats for the animals. Minimal human impact causes the importance and beauty of the Galapagos. However, unfortunately, just like my brother Jonathan, the Galapagos ecosystems and animals face ominous struggles and danger. The population of Galapagos residents has risen from 3,000 in the 1960s to around 30,000 in 2012 (learn more here). This large population paired with an abundance of tourism has caused serious issues for the Galapagos ecosystem due to pollution, litter, and imports. Similarly, overfishing and litter bring fatal effects for marine ecosystems. Goats and pigs also act as invasive species to the original animals. Despite the struggles, there is still hope for both the Galapagos Islands and my younger brother due to the contributions of the government and other organizations. Overall, because of both the beauty and dangers to the Galapagos, the government and many other organizations work on the conservation of the islands.

In order to conserve both the animals and the ecosystem, the government has developed many important rules for tourists - including us - to follow. For example, we must stay in marked trails and be with a tour guide at all times. We are not allowed to touch or feed the animals, use flash photography, graffiti, litter, fish, smoke, make campfires, or take anything from the island. Additionally, all tourists go through a lot of inspection and quarantine: we can not bring any new plants, animals, or seeds to the island. Invasive species pose as titanic threats to the entire ecosystem in the Galapagos (learn more here). When we make our incredible journey to the Galapagos, it is of the utmost importance that we follow these rules. We can not be responsible for the destruction of one of Earth’s most precious jewels. Although it does not seem like taking one rock or scaring one animal or dropping one piece of trash would really impact the ecosystem, those actions truly do. 145,000 people visited the Galapagos Islands in the year 2006 alone (learn more here). If all 145,000 people took one rock or scared one animal or dropped one piece of trash, the ecosystem would face huge impacts in that year alone. When we go, think about the consequences of your actions. Think about the importance of the conservation of the islands. Aside from the government, many other organizations like the Galapagos Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund work to conserve the islands. They run special projects for many different conservation purposes. For example, the World Wildlife Fund played an important role in the prevention of illegal fishing by improving the surveillance of marine reserves. They provided satellites, radios, and radars to track ships and detect illegal fishing. Similarly, the Galapagos Conservancy is restoring degraded ecosystems caused by human activity and invasive species. They are trying to erase the negative impacts and transform the Galapagos into its pre-human condition.

The Galapagos Conservancy returning giant tortoises to Pinta.

Why is this so important? How can you help the conservation of the islands?