The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has removed Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands from its lists of endangered sites, due to the Ecuadorean government’s protective efforts in the Pacific archipelago.

Located some 1000 kilometres west of Ecuador’s coast, the Galapagos archipelago of 14 main islands and more than a hundred islets has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978 because of its rich plant and animal life both on land and in the surrounding sea.

In 2007, UNESCO declared the island chain’s environment endangered due to the increase of tourism and immigration, as well as over-reliance on fishing. Illegal immigrants from the mainland have largely contributed to its population increase. The archipelago attracts some 140,000 tourists each year, which puts continuous pressure on the islands’ flora and fauna ecosystems.

Domestic pets threat
Both the population increase and the rising number of tourists visiting the islands have led to a substantial rise in imports. One of the adverse effects of the growth in trade was the introduction of domestic animals and plant sorts previously unknown to the island group, which, in turn, threatened the native unique plant and animal life.

When the Galapagos Islands were put on UNESCO’s list of endangered sites in 2007, Ecuador introduced harsh measures to tackle specific ecological threats. There was a major clampdown on illegal immigrants - who were forced to return to the mainland - and on illegal fishing in protected waters. A series of measures to monitor tourism were also implemented.

Giant tortoises
The volcanic island group is home to an array of species, including giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas and Galapagos penguins. Only five of the 14 main islands are inhabited. Charles Darwin visited the island in 1835 and noted that the tortoises on different Galapagos islands could be distinguished from each other by the variations in their shells. The young naturalist’s studies on the islands’ species contributed to Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection.

Resistance to endangered list
UNESCO’s decision to include the Galapagos Islands on its List of World Heritage in Danger was met with fierce opposition by many residents who feared a decline in tourism. Fishermen, supported by some members of the Ecuadorean Armed Forces, also clashed with rangers of the islands’ ecological reserve.

With Wednesday’s vote of 14 to five, with one abstention, the UNESCO committee - presided over by Brazil’s culture ministry - has recognised the Ecuadorean government’s efforts in protecting and preserving this heritage site.

This coming weekend UNESCO will vote on requests to add some 40 new sites to their endangered list. One of the sites being considered is the Amsterdam canals area. The decision will undoubtedly prompt a heated discussion among supporters and opponents of its inclusion on the World Heritage in Danger list.