Graham Watkins: Runaway tourism threatens the future of the Galapagos Islands
Today, this extraordinary archipelago, which has inspired countless visitors, is the premier natural environment in the world: one of the last well-conserved tropical archipelagos we have, and home to numerous unique species.
Since Charles Darwin's 1835 visit and his use of the islands to illustrate evolution and adaptive radiation in the Origin of Species, the islands have been the focus of additional important research in understanding natural selection. But the islands were long host to whalers and colonists too, who left a series of legacies. These include the decimation of tortoise populations and the introduction of many new species that have wreaked havoc on the native flora and fauna.
The islands are better conserved today than they were 100 years ago. Unfortunately, the runaway development of tourism means that the Galapagos are at risk again. Economic growth in the islands has drawn immigrants and increased the risks of new and increasingly dangerous, invasive species arriving. Resolving this problem will require strengthening governance, ensuring sustainable tourism, developing an island culture and continuing to restore the islands.
The solutions will be led by the people of Ecuador and will necessarily involve ensuring the standard of living of Galapagos residents. But it is the co-responsibility of the world to support the government of Ecuador in the process. We can conserve Galapagos, but only through the concerted actions of all of the actors. If we can achieve sustainability, the value to the world will extend well beyond saving one of the last remaining natural treasures, to being a model for sustainable societies everywhere.
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The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Graham Watkins: Runaway tourism threatens the future of the Galapagos Islands
Very few places in the world have influenced humanity as much as the Galapagos Islands, and they have a pivotal year ahead. 2009 is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origin of Species, and the 50th anniversaries of the foundation of the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos National Park. But for all their importance, the islands are still under threat. Today, this extraordinary archipelago, which has inspired countless visitors, is the premier natural environment in the world: one of the last well-conserved tropical archipelagos we have, and home to numerous unique species. Since Charles Darwin's 1835 visit and his use of the islands to illustrate evolution and adaptive radiation in the Origin of Species, the islands have been the focus of additional important research in understanding natural selection. But the islands were long host to whalers and colonists too, who left a series of legacies. These include the decimation of tortoise populations and the introduction of many new species that have wreaked havoc on the native flora and fauna. The islands are better conserved today than they were 100 years ago. Unfortunately, the runaway development of tourism means that the Galapagos are at risk again. Economic growth in the islands has drawn immigrants and increased the risks of new and increasingly dangerous, invasive species arriving. Resolving this problem will require strengthening governance, ensuring sustainable tourism, developing an island culture and continuing to restore the islands. The solutions will be led by the people of Ecuador and will necessarily involve ensuring the standard of living of Galapagos residents. But it is the co-responsibility of the world to support the government of Ecuador in the process. We can conserve Galapagos, but only through the concerted actions of all of the actors. If we can achieve sustainability, the value to the world will extend well beyond saving one of the last remaining natural treasures, to being a model for sustainable societies everywhere.
The Independent
18 hours ago
- The Independent
The Last of Us zombie fungus hijacked minds even as early as dinosaur era, scientists find
The mind-controlling 'zombie' fungus, which served as the inspiration for the video game and post-apocalyptic TV show The Last of Us, emerged about 133 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed Earth, a new study has found. In the real world, fungi belonging to the Ophiocordyceps genus infect ants and cause them to behave strangely. The fungi force their ant hosts to scale a plant to one of its tallest branches and clamp their jaws tightly onto a leaf. As the ant remains locked onto the leaf, the fungus slowly consumes the insect's tissues, growing and finally scattering spores down onto the forest floor from the height to restart the cycle afresh with new ant victims. The fungus is known to reprogramme the instincts of its insect hosts for climbing, gripping, and walking to seek ideal conditions for its own reproduction. Now, researchers have found remains of early species of this genus trapped in nearly 100-million-year-old fossilised plant sap. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, reveals early changes and host shifts undergone by the fungi that shaped their evolution. These findings are some of the oldest direct evidence of parasitic relationships between fungi and insects, say researchers, including those from Chinese Academy of Sciences. The origins of such parasitic behaviour have been difficult to trace since the soft nature of fungal tissues causes them to rarely fossilise. Researchers have now identified two fungal species preserved in 99-million-year-old amber from northern Myanmar. 'Here, we report two new fungi, Paleoophiocordyceps gerontoformicae and Paleoophiocordyceps ironomyiae from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber (approx. 99 million years old),' scientists wrote in the study. One of these species, named P. gerontoformicae, occurred along with an infected ant pupa encased in amber dated to about 99 million years ago. Scientists found that the structural features of this ancient parasitic fungus match those of modern-day Ophiocordyceps species. By comparing the traits of this ancient fungus to those of other known extinct fungi, researchers say Ophiocordyceps likely emerged about 133.25 million years ago, earlier than previously proposed estimates of about 100 million years. This was during the Early Cretaceous when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, scientists say. 'These fossils are among the oldest fossil records of animal-pathogenic fungi,' they wrote. Researchers suspect the fungal genus initially parasitised beetles before undergoing host shifts to infect ants. This shift was likely related to the increase in diversity and abundance of moths and ants during this period, scientists say. The latest findings not only document some of the oldest evidence of insect-pathogenic fungi, but also provide new insights into the coevolution between fungi and host insects.
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- South Wales Argus
Llanbadoc and Usk celebrate the life and work of Alfred Russel Wallace
The day will commemorate the life and career of the Llanbadoc-born genius and will feature a day-long series of events in and around Llanbadoc and Usk. The date of this year's celebration coincides with the 167th anniversary of the momentous presentation by Wallace and Charles Darwin to the Linnean Society, London. The presentation introduced the world to the idea of evolution by means of natural selection. Wallace spent his early life in Usk and is often called the 'forgotten father of evolution.' While Darwin's name has become widely recognised, it was Wallace who independently conceived the theory and sent his manuscript to Darwin in 1858 – an act that prompted the historic presentation on July 1 that year. Wallace's immense stature in the scientific pantheon was summed up by David Attenborough: 'Wallace was one of the great naturalists of the 19th century and is regarded as the period's leading expert on the geographical distribution of animal species. Man arrested after woman hit by car on city street Road in Newport closes and causes traffic congestion due to 'fallen tree' 'He was also a prolific author, an explorer and social critic – and was indeed one of the most famous people in the world at the time. Today he is best known for independently conceiving the theory of evolution by natural selection, which prompted Charles Darwin to publish On the Origin of Species.' Usk Civic Society has long championed the legacy of Wallace, particularly his local connections and his deep affinity with nature, which was nurtured by the Welsh countryside. This year's event will include talks, exhibitions and a guided walk highlighting local links to Wallace's formative years. The Civic Society has said: 'Wallace's contribution to science is immense and we are proud to honour him here in Usk. His work helped change the way we understand the natural world and his legacy continues to inspire.' The event will also explore Wallace's later life, his work in natural history, and his advocacy for social justice, another aspect of his legacy that is being increasingly recognised today. Using knowledge of species distribution in the Indonesian archipelago, Wallace also correctly predicted continental drift, decades before German scientist Alfred Wegener, who scooped Wallace and others by publicising his findings in 1912. Today, Wegener is credited with the theory. Wallace's work on species distribution, which identified distinct biogeographical regions, predicted continental drift and this was established by Wallace as early as 1863. Usk extends a warm welcome to all who are interested in Wallace's legacy and hope their efforts will help recover his presence in the public mind. Wallace was born in Kensington Cottage, Llanbadoc, 1823 and died in Dorset, 1913. Anyone attending walks is asked to think about appropriate clothing. Schedule of events: 11.00 Start and Welcome 11.30 Guided Walk 1 long (1 ½ hour) 11.45 Guided Walk 2 short (1 hour) 11.45 Accessible (wheeled) Walk 12.00 Exhibition in Sessions House12 to 3.45 Short Films- 3 or 4 short films on a repeating loop 1.00 Usk Brass Band 1.00 BYO Picnic in park / Sessions House 1.00 Teas, Coffees, Cake 1.00 Craft Activities 4.00 Talk by Ray Hale. Wild Indonesia: The Search for the Birds of Paradise. 5.00 Finish .
