Galapagos and Eco-Tourism

Blue Footed Boobies in the Galapagos

photo by Michael Levin

The Galapagos Islands are way off the coast of Ecuador, South America. Darwin is famous for his reports about animals he found there that had not evolved the same way most animals have in the human-inhabited world. 

Galapagos Sea Lions

photo by Michael Levin

They are special islands for many reasons. For example, the animals you find there have not developed an instinctive fear of humans. So, you can walk right up to birds and they won't fly away. 

Ecuador has a great respect for their ecological treasures. The government has tried to restrict human growth and commercial development in the Galapagos. Until now. 

All that is changing. The Ecuadorian government is actually trying to promote investment in tourism in not just Ecuador but the beautiful, mostly untouched Galapagos Islands. Here's the website the Ecuadoran government wrote to promote investment: http://investour.ecuador.travel/en

It's called Investour Ecuador. 

There's another website called SOS Galapagos that discusses the approach the Ecuadorian government is taking toward tourism and development. The photo of the Galapagos beach at Playa Mann is from SOS Galapagos. Here's a petition to Greenpeace, The United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) asking them to help us to bring international awareness to the threat that Galapagos Archipelago is suffering and have it added to the list of 'World Heritage in Danger'. "Somos todos Galapagos ::: We are all Galapagos" is the slogan.  I'll let you read it for yourself and make up your own mind about what to think and do.