Preserving the laboratory of evolution

It is known as the world’s most extensive biodiversity laboratory, and for good reason.

The Galapagos Islands, a group of 127 islands and islets located approximately 1,000 kilometres off mainland Ecuador, are home to the largest concentration of endemic plant and animal species on Earth. Darwin’s observations during a visit later informed his theory of evolution through natural selection.

To preserve this open-air biological museum, whose uniqueness made it the first site inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, 97 percent of its land area was designated as a national park.