Quito, Jan 30 (Inditop.com/EFE) Scientists have warned of a difficult task ahead in the conservation of Ecuador’s fragile Galapagos Islands ecosystem, home to species nowhere else found in the world.
Gabriel Lopez, executive director of the Charles Darwin Foundation, Friday released a report highlighting the challenges that lie ahaed in the conservation of the fragile Galapagos ecosystem.
The report, marking the 50th anniversary of the organisation, contained details of the activities undertaken to protect the ecosystem by the foundation in 2009 and an outlook for 2010.
Lopez said the foundation this year plans to continue with three “emblematic” projects launched in 2009 – measuring the “human footprint” on the archipelago, studying the consequences of climate change and the “comprehensive” restoration of Floreana Island in southern part of the archipelago.
The Ecuadorian islands will act as “an ideal laboratory” for compiling “highly trustworthy” data on the effects of the El Nino phenomenon, he said.
Lopez said the data gathered by scientists show “it is almost certain El Nino events will be more frequent, more intense” and could have a “devastating impact on the island’s endemic species like sea lions and marine iguanas”.
He added that in the next few months, the foundation will organise a series of workshops and forums on sustainable development and scientists from different countries will participate.
“We should be proud of our work in 2009, but now the foundation and the Galapagos Islands face the most challenging days of their history,” he said.
The Galapagos Islands owe their name to the large tortoises that live there. Its rich biodiversity helped British scientist Charles Darwin to develop his theory of evolution and natural selection of species. The archipelago is located about 1,000 km west of the continental coast of Ecuador.
