Humans Deemed Bigger Threat to Galapagos Than Volcanoes
A volcano that erupted after three decades on Galapagos Islands is of little threat to the delicate system.
The Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island in the archipelago erupted Monday, leaving a massive trail of lava and smoke that could be seen from miles away. The volcano and the island are home to rare pink iguana species and tortoise. Officials don't expect the eruptions to have a serious impact on the eco-system the lava is flowing southwest. The Galapagos National Park is located in the northwestern part of the island.
The environment ministry has cautioned tour operators as the island archipelago is one of most volcanically active regions in the world, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Wolf Volcano erupted this week after remaining dormant for 33 years. Charles Darwin had visited the islands 1,000 km off the Ecuador coast, in 1835, and was inspired to propose Natural Selection as his theory of evolution.
Some reports suggest that volcanoes are no threat compared to humans. Wildlife activists cite exponential growth in the number of hotels, introduction of cattle and other species of vegetation as threat to native species.
"Volcanism and eruptions are a normal part of the evolutionary ecology on the Galapagos Islands. We seem to be excited about a volcano, but the Galapagos are under siege by a lot of different things," Steve Walsh, director at the Center for Galapagos Studies at the University of North Carolina, told ABC News.
