Threats to the region


A "Vulnerable" Global 200 Ecoregion

Either directly or indirectly, people are behind the threats to the Galapagos. Today, there are human settlements on four of the islands. Tourism is the main business, though cattle and coffee are two popular exports.

Both legal and illegal commercial fishing are on the rise in the waters off the archipelago, despite laws created in recent years to protect the wildlife sanctuary.

On land, the amount of introduced species has in some cases surpassed the number of native plants and animals. In order to safeguard the environment, WWF is working to promote behavioural changes whilst improving the lives of the locals.

Lots of species, but for how long?
Research suggests that more species per sq km have been lost in the Galapagos in the last 400 years than on any other archipelago. However, levels of extinction for terrestrial biodiversity are still considered low since only 1.5% of the total initial number of species has been wiped out.

This figure is counterbalanced by the amount of animals and plants, both on land and at sea, classed as endangered. Indicatively, in 2003, more than 30 snail species that call the Galapagos home were inscribed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as at risk of extinction. This figure contributes to the total 1140 species that are threatened in Ecuador - the country of South America with the highest risk levels.

 
Vascular Plants
Vertebrates

Species
No
%
No
%

Extinct
3
1
10
9

Threatened
85
16
54
51

Source: Charles Darwin Foundation - WWF 2002


Tourist trap or a piece of paradise
 The Galapagos enjoy a higher standard of living than most places in mainland South America. The beauty of the area and the aspiration of earning a decent income have attracted many people. Today, approximately 15,000 people live on Baltra, Santa Cruz and San Cristobal islands, an equivalent of 3.3% of the territory.

In addition to the locals, over 75,000 tourists visit every year. Not surprisingly, the pressure on natural resources is huge as more people require more water, food, electricity, construction material, and create more waste.

A housing crisis
Tourism has led to more locals migrating from the countryside to the ports in search of higher-paying jobs. Puerto Ayora, the main visitor hub, now has an annual growth rate of 6.7%, with 86% of the population of the canton being found in urban areas.

This is causing a space problem as all terrain set aside for human settlement was used up by 2002. The temptation to encroach onto wilderness areas is therefore great and much needs to be done to prevent construction outside authorised zones.

Traffic jams on land and at sea
As more people settle in the archipelago and as residents become wealthier, the demand for cars has increased. Between 2000 and 2001 for example, the number of vehicles rose by 54%. This trend runs in parallel with fuel consumption and pressure for more roads to be built on the islands.

On land, means of transportation cause easier dispersion of invasive species, more animal deaths in accidents, as well as habitat loss and fragmentation. At sea, boats now have to stick to fixed itineraries, as 70 vessels carrying 1,632 passengers require monitoring.

Alien Invasive Species
Of the many threats facing the Galapagos today, introduced species top the list. Alien invasives, as they are known, are animals and plants that occur outside their natural range and threaten the existence of native species or other aspects of biodiversity.

Goats, pigs, and other animals first brought over by 19th century sailors as a source of food, for example, multiplied quickly in their new environment and eventually destroyed much of the native flora on many of the islands.

To date, foreign animals and plants are still making their way over by sea or air, sometimes transported by the very tourists that are so keen on preserving this exceptional environment. As of the 1970's with the rise of tourism, the arrival of introduced species grew exponentially, going from 77 in 1970 to 600 in 2003.

 
Vascular Plants
Vertebrates
Insects
Species
No
%
No
%
No
%
Native
541
-
106
-
1616
-
Introduced
600
111
25
24
300
19

Source: Charles Darwin Foundation - WWF 2002
 A fishing frenzy
Although most of the territory of the Galapagos comes under national park regulations, unsound practices still occur and some species suffer more specifically from human predation than others.

Sharks for one are increasingly caught as their fins fetch high prices on mainly Asian markets: a bowl of shark fin soup can be sold for up to 100 USD. Sea cucumbers are also over-fished, as they too are considered a dining delicacy.

In fact, both legal and illegal activities have led to populations of both these groups dwindling. As well as targeting individual species, some fishermen unscrupulously catch well over the allowed quotas, endangering the fragile marine ecosystem.

High-fatality accidents
Another source of concern when it comes to wildlife is the impact of accidents and one-off events such as oil spills or fires. This type of threat became very real in January 2001 when tanker Jessica grounded off the coast of San Cristobal Island, leaking 185,000 gallons of diesel into the fragile environment. Because of the amount of traffic around the islands, such a disaster could all too easily recur.




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