Blue What Now?

U.N. declares Ecuador's Galapagos Islands in danger

POSTED: 2:51 p.m. EDT, June 26, 2007

Story Highlights

• UNESCO says tourism and immigration a threat to Ecuador's Galapagos Islands
• Islands home to unique animal species that inspired Darwin's ideas on evolution
• Ecuador's president declared the islands at risk in April

QUITO, Ecuador (Reuters) -- The United Nations on Tuesday declared Ecuador's Galapagos Islands in danger as booming tourism and immigration threaten giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies unique to the archipelago.

"They are threatened by invasive species, growing tourism and immigration," the UNESCO's world heritage committee meeting in New Zealand said a statement.

The volcanic islands, 625 miles (1,000 kilometers) west of Ecuador's coast, inspired British naturalist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Maria Espinosa said the committee's statement "will help the government's efforts to solve the complex problems of the Galapagos."

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa declared the islands at risk in April and has vowed to impose more rigorous population restrictions and temporarily suspend some tourism permits.

The islands' growing tourism has lured thousands of workers' from the poor mainland to work in construction, restaurants and cruise ships.

Some bring nonnative species such as goats who compete for food with centenarian tortoises.

"This is a good thing because it will highlight the islands' problems," said Linda Cayot, a science adviser with Galapagos Conservancy. "It will push not only Ecuador, but conservationist groups to support work there."

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