Transcript Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands
Devin Pugh
Galapagos Islands
• Where:
– Located over 1000 km from the South
American Continent and 600 miles from the
Ecuadorian coastline.
– Highest point in the archipelago is the Volcan
Wolf (5600 ft.) which is a volcano on the
island of Isabela.
Galapagos Islands
• Who:
– Theory that Incan culture visited island in the
1400’s.
– Fray Tomas de Berlanga, the Bishop of Panama,
documented the officially first visit to the islands
in 1535.
– Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos at 26 years
old.
– Today, 60,000 tourists visit the islands per year
Galapagos Islands
• What:
– There are many species of animals on the Galapagos
islands not found anywhere else such as the Galapagos
Marine Iguana, the Galapagos Hawk, and the Frigate.
– The time zone for the Galapagos Islands is GMT -6, which
is one hour behind Ecuador’s mainland which is GMT -5.
– The climate of the Galapagos Islands is subtropical and it
is regulated by the warm El Nino Current and the cold
Humboldt Current
– In total land area, the islands are 4897 sq. miles and in
the total geographical area from Darwin Island to San
Cristobal, 28000 sq. miles.
Galapagos Islands
• When:
– Initially formed between 3 million and 5 million
years ago, the islands are “young” in geologic
time.
– In the last 200 years, a remarkable fifty plus
eruptions have occurred on the Galapagos
Islands.
– Darwin landed on the island in 1845
– In the 450 years of human history, the island
have been used as prison colonies, naval ports
and research stations.
Galapagos Islands
• Why:
– There are many park rules due to the delicate
environmental balance of the islands.
– The name “Galapagos” came from the giant
tortoises that were discovered on the island by
the Bishop of Panama.
– Scientists are still faced with a mystery on why
such a large diversity of species developed in
such a remote location such as the location of the
Galapagos Islands.
Galapagos Islands
• How:
– The Galapagos Islands were formed by the
combination of dynamic volcanic activity and the
effect of rain and the continual force of the vast
pacific at their coasts.
– The archipelago consists of thirteen major
islands, of which five are inhabited.
– Newer islands are being formed at a rate of about
5 cm. per year by the movement of tectonic
plates.
Galapagos Islands
• Past:
– In 1546, refugees of Picarro came upon the
islands through foggy waters and named the
islands “Las Islas Encantadas”, because they
thought the islands were enchanting.
– In 1807, Galapagos received its first resident,
Irishman Patrick Watkins, who was marooned on
Floreana for two years.
– In 1959, Ecuador declared the islands its first
national park.
Galapagos Islands
• Present:
– The islands are impacted by environmental issues
such as El Nino.
– The island is also impacted by overpopulation,
tourism, and introduced species.
– There are many fund raisers and conservation
parks to help conserve the natural beauty of the
islands.
– Many tourists come to the islands to see the
wildlife, the flora, and the fantastic sceneries.
Galapagos Islands
• Fun Facts:
– Darwin Island, one of the main islands in
archipelago, is named for the naturalist.
– Poisonous manzanillo apple trees are native to
the islands.
– There are thirteen species of Darwin’s finches
endemic to the islands.
Citation
• http://www.galapagosislands.com/html/ga
lapagos_climate.html
• http://www.rusticgirls.com/travel/galapag
os-islands.html