When the Galapagos Islands were first discovered, Tomás de Berlanga said, “It looked as though God had caused it to rain stones.” Guests may find his opinions a little harsh in light of the island’s current population density and level of documentation about Galapagos plant life.
The biggest cities in Galapagos are Puerto Ayora and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. The archipelago is massive, and 98% of this is a national park area while roughly 3% is dedicated to those few inhabited areas that are located throughout the archipelago (4 in total).
Despite their unmistakable remoteness, the Galapagos Islands are indeed home to small clusters of human inhabitants. However, these are relatively recent communities that arose as early as the mid-19th century and which, as per the most recent census results from 2023, have only grown to the tune of 28,583 inhabitants in total.
While in the Ecuadorian archipelago, and even before your trip, you will certainly start to hear about invasive species in the Galapagos Islands. This is due to the fact that years ago, introduced species that got to the islands, either by humans or nature, started affecting the endemic environment that was not able to compete with them.
Charles Darwin published one of the most significant scientific hypotheses on evolution on November 24, 1859, under the title On the Origin of Species using Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. Many believe this book established much of the foundation for evolutionary biology.
Bishop Tomas de Berlanga accidentally found the Galapagos Islands on March 10, 1535. He saw the islands to be rather disappointing and wrote of them as “a land where God seemed to have showered stones in the middle of the ocean, stones inhabited by bizarre animals – like tortoises carrying a ‘Galapagos’ (saddle), stupid birds, and dragon-looking lizards.”
By now, the voyage of the HMS Beagle has lasted almost four years. The day is approaching when history will remember Charles Darwin in Galapagos.
Sadly, extinction is now a common word in our everyday language due to the frequency with which it has been addressed in the news. Still, we don’t fully understand how extinction occurs. What is involved in it? Why does it happen?
Ecuador facts highlight that Ecuador is gaining recognition as one of the most incredible and exciting tourist destinations. Its many attractions include world-famous colonial districts, an abundance of Amazonian delicacies, a remarkable section of the Avenue of the Volcanoes, and the Galapagos Islands, which serve as the cherry on top of this incredible cake.
Tomás de Berlanga described the Galapagos Islands when he first saw them: “It looked as though God had caused it to rain stones.” Guests may find his views a bit harsh considering how populated and well-documented the islands are now.
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