photo credit New Zealand Herald via Jim Eagles
"A panel of politicians has voted to remove the Galapagos Islands from the UN's list of World Heritage Sites in danger - in spite of a firm recommendation from scientists and officials who visited the islands that they should keep their status."
This is worrisome. The Galapagos Islands have been seeing a lot of changes in recent years. A growing population, increased tourism, invasive species and climate change to name a few. Scientists and conservationist strongly disagree with the panel's decision to remove the islands from the danger list.
Says Toni Darton, director of Britain's Galapagos Conservation Trust: "We are very concerned by this decision and its implications. It is premature. It suggests the islands are out of danger and they are not. They are still in danger, absolutely."
The Galapagos is special because of its unique life, isolated and evolved over many thousands of years. Many species on the islands can be found nowhere else in the world. It is also the site that got Charles Darwin's brain thinking about natural selection.
Full article here (New Zealand Herald)
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