A blue-footed booby on San Cristobal Island, part of the Galapagos Archipelago
Credit: AFP
QUITO: Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has declared the renowned Galapagos Islands at risk and may impose restrictions on tourism, flights and residency to prevent further ecological damage.
The archipelago, with unique flora and fauna including giant tortoises and marine iguanas, inspired British naturalist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
But the islands - located some 1,000 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador - have come under threat from a booming tourism industry, a growing local population and the introduction of outside species.
The president's order on Tuesday came as a delegation from the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Association (UNESCO) prepared to issue findings on the state of the archipelago. The islands are home to many unique species, such as marine iguanas, giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies.
In explaining the move, Correa said that the required course of action was clear and said "to assume our responsibilities we do not need studies from some international organization… we ourselves are declaring the Galapagos at risk."
The islands "are in imminent ecological danger" and measures need to be taken to protect the delicate equilibrium of species living in the National Galapagos Park and the marine reserve, the president added in a statement.
To protect the area, Correa said he was considering a possible temporary suspension on new permits for tourism, flights and residency. The government measures would also include a census of the islands, which have an official population of 20,000, but are thought to host a significant illegal population.
For three decades, UNESCO has included the Galapagos Islands on a list of World Heritage sites and has closely monitored the area's ecosystem.
