Marine iguanas are seen at the Galapagos National Park on Santa Cruz Island, Sept. 15, 2008. (Guillermo Granja/Reuters)

Overpopulating paradise

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Measuring the destruction wrought by overpopulation in the Galapagos Islands.

By Pailin Wedel - GlobalPost
Published: August 13, 2009 07:15 ET

The Galapagos is one of the few pristine archipelagos in the world where loss of the original biodiversity has been kept to a minimum, says Gunter Reck, an ecologist and longtime resident.

Reck has, however, been joined by Galapagos officials, businessmen and locals in warning that this paradise is on the brink of a crisis.

Overpopulation and a corresponding rise in tourism have worsened energy, water and waste problems.

Many families have four children or more, and 80 to 85 percent of the population makes its living from tourism.

Videographer Pailin Wedel reports from Galapagos:

Pailin Wedel, who normally covers Thailand for GlobalPost, traveled to the Galapagos Islands this summer to report there.

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Posted by Bwana on August 17, 2009 13:59 ET

It's good this topic is being publicized, but a few corrections and additions need to be made. It is estimated that the resident population of Galapagos is more than 30,000 (not 20,000) as given in the video. Likewise, the number of annual tourists is nearly 200,000 (not 60,000).

Also not mentioned is perhaps the most dangerous and imminent threat, invasive species of plants, animals, and microbes. The latter, in the form of parasites and viruses, pose a very serious threat to the bird populations, and to reptiles as well. The mosquito vectors for these are already present. Plants like blackberry and insects like fire ants are already well established and doing a lot of destruction. These alien invaders are, of course, brought by human visitors. Of course, people could be considered invasive species as well.

There are solutions to the problems, including responsible tourism. Travelers need to be aware of their impact and help give back to science and conservation. One tourist organization is already addressing these issues. www.igtoa.org Travelers can find a responsible tour company on this site.

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