Today, Darwin would be surprised by the tourist mecca Galapagos has become; 200,000 visitors a year, 40,000 permanent residents. The impact on the most unique collection of endemic wildlife in the world has been heavy; too many people bringing too many of their ways (and invasive species) from the outside world threatening the future of this one-of-a-kind place. What would Darwin think of how Galapagos has evolved in the twenty-first century?

We think he would be shocked and dismayed by what’s transpired in the Galapagos since his first visit.

It’s not the boom in tourism that threatens the island state, rather the desire of many to profit from it. Tourism is pretty well managed through the islands, but each year more residents of the mainland try to make the Galapagos home, putting heavy pressure on a place to support homes, cars, pet dogs and cats … and the local economy necessary to keep these new residents alive.