History of the Galapagos

History of the Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands are located approximately 559 miles off the coast of Ecuador, delicately hugging the equator. The Galapagos Archipelago is a bucket-list destination among divers, nature-lovers, scientists and volunteers alike thanks to its rich geological and biological history; however, human history of the Galapagos is not one to miss out on.
However, once whale fat was discovered to be an excellent source of fuel in the 19th century, whalers flocked to the islands, like the pirates, using the archipelago as a place of refuge while they scoured the ocean for their treasures. In addition to the islands’ location directly along the migration routes of sperm whales, the Galapagos archipelago was cherished for its relatively large reserves of fresh water (once you know where they are), sheltered anchorage sites, and the large supplies of fresh meat, making for an excelling resting spot after months on the open sea. Giant tortoises can survive for up to one year without fresh food or water, and the whalers were certain to take advantage of it. They captured the tortoises by the thousands to store them below deck as they made their long voyages back to New Bedford, Nantucket and other whaling ports (around the same time, tortoises were also taken by gold hunters on their way to California). Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick, also visited the Galapagos Islands in the 1800s as a whaler, providing him inspiration for his world-renowned book.
When Charles Darwin arrived to the Galapagos Islands, in addition to the blue-footed boobies and marine iguanas, he was also welcomed by a small community that had been settled just a few years earlier in 1831 by General Jose de Villamil, who was also the town’s first governor. The new settlers worked the land, cultivating crops and raising animals such as pigs, goats and donkeys. The settlement did not last long and was deemed a failure in 1852, but even more unfortunately, the introduction of these domestic animals began some of the most severe invasions of foreign species that the islands had ever seen, devastating species such as the giant tortoise. Several attempts were made to colonize the islands following Villamil, which included fishing, canning and salt mining projects, and even a jail, but the majority of these were unsuccessful. The most successful communities were on San Cristobal Island, making it the most populous island until the 1960s, which is why the administrative capital of the archipelago, to this day, is Baquerizo Moreno. However, of all of these projects, one of the most successful was the horribly brutal prison system that was present in the Galapagos Islands for 125 years. The history of this prison is forever preserved in the Wall of Tears in Puerto Villamil.
The first wildlife sanctuaries were declared in 1934 and the Galapagos National Park was formed 25 years later with the aim of preserving the stunning flora and fauna that inhabit the archipelago. Shortly after, the Charles Darwin Research Center opened its doors in 1964, which currently serves as an important point of research for hundreds of scientists and conservationists from around the world. Thanks to the work done by these entities to conserve the precious and delicate Galapagos ecosystems, the archipelago was officially classified as a Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO.

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