The price of the Galapagos

I have been considering going to the Galapagos Islands for a long time. I know that I shouldn’t, due to economic and ecologic reasons, but the wildlife is too attracting and alluring.  After crossing the border to Ecuador and the line of the equator, I decide to park my bike on the mainland and buy an expensive plane ticket to the islands and an even more expensive boat trip between them. And then I enter another world. I find myself in an animal world where groups of sealions are sunbathing on beaches, where iguanas are cuddling together on volcanic rocks and where birds are flirting with each other between the bushes.

They all live a fairly peaceful life as there are no predators on the islands. They are not as frightened or protective as other wild animals and I can sit down next to the bluefooted boobie and her tiny cotton bud babies. I can also snorkel above the old green turtles who are chewing algae at the bottom and comes up to me on the surface for another breath of air. I feel so close to the wild. It is absolutely amazing to see the behavior of animals and to be in the balance of nature.

Even if the animals seem unaffected by my presence, it is people like me who disrupt the balance on the Galapagos. The tourism load is greater than the islands can carry and we are exploiting the natural resources while we are exploring them. The transportation of people and all the things we consume pollutes nature in general and carries invasive species to the local ecosystem. Off course, the amount of tourist also gives an economic value to the environment. But out of all the hundreds of dollars that I pay, to be in this magical animal world, only a minimal part is invested to preserve it. The Galapagos Islands are definitely worth my money, but my time here might not be worth the price which is paid by the animals and their surroundings.

Peace

Comments

1. elmono enbici Tuesday, November 23, 2010, at 8:57 AM

   Well written Hanna!
2. hanna Tuesday, November 23, 2010, at 9:55 AM

   Thank you Luis,

   See you soon in the city.
3. jessica Wednesday, November 24, 2010, at 5:24 PM

   Komplicerat val..Otroligt vackra bilder.
4. hanna Friday, November 26, 2010, at 5:48 PM

   Tack allra vackraste Jessica.
5. Lisbeth Syrén Friday, February 11, 2011, at 10:57 AM

   wooow! min högsta önskan att få åka dit, men förstår dina känslor och tankar! helt otroliga bilder!
   kram å ta hand om sig!
6. Diego Sunday, July 10, 2011, at 4:15 PM

   I’m your fan number one! I admire what you are doing. Take care
7. hanna Sunday, July 10, 2011, at 5:32 PM

   Thank you dear Diego. I am really enjoying what I am doing. See you in Buenos Aires.