Threat to nature's laboratory

by Steve Cunningham< xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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THE EFFECTS of an oil spill upon the Galapagos Islands,�known as the 'natural laboratory of evolution'�is not yet known. But the consequences could be disastrous for the whole of mankind.

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��Press Association

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Latest reports say at least nine animals have been killed. They are all marine birds, with the exception of a stingray, said Eliecer Cruz, director the Galapagos National Park.

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Strong currents carried most of the fuel into open ocean, averting an immediate environmental disaster. About 60 birds and marine animals, including sea lions, seagulls and albatrosses were rescued and cleaned before they were released. Other animals could still be affected.

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It is difficult to over estimate the importance of the Galapagos Islands, which lie in the Pacific Ocean about 600 miles from the South American coast across the Equator. There are 13 large islands, six smaller ones and 107 islets and rocks.

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The islands are volcanic in origin and several volcanoes to the west of the archipelago are still active. Galapagos is a province of the Republic of Ecuador and five islands are inhabited with a total population of about 15,000.

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Galapagos had no aboriginal inhabitants and was discovered in 1535 by Tomas de Berlanga, Bishop of Panama, when his ship was becalmed.

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In 1835 Captain Fitzroy and HMS Beagle visited Galapagos as part of a five-year voyage to make navigational charts for the Royal Navy. On board was a young naturalist called Charles Darwin.

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He made extensive collections of the plants and animals and noticed that closely related species were found on different islands. After many years of research and thought he published in 1859 The Origin of Species, which put forward the concept of evolution by natural selection.

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This scientific discovery was stunningly revolutionary. Darwin wrote: 'In that little world within itself ... we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact - that mystery of mysteries - the first appearance of new beings on this earth.'

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Galapagos is home to many unique animals, most of them fearless, because there are no natural predators. One of the best known, the giant tortoise, has evolved into 14 distinct forms on the different islands of the archipelago.

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Other reptiles include the marine iguana that feeds on seaweed, land iguanas, lava lizards and snakes.

The only terrestrial mammals are rice rats and two species of bat. The 13 species of small, brownish finches are adapted to a range of different foods and are know as Darwin's finches.

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They have been important for scientists trying to understand how evolution occurs.