Treasure Island

The Galapagos archipelago — 13 large islands and islets, 970 kilometres from mainland Ecuador in the Eastern Pacific Ocean — is celebrated globally. The BBC estimates 97% of its mammals, 80% of its land birds, 42 reptile species, 70 fish species and over 30% of its flora are endemic, found nowhere else on Earth. In 1984, UNESCO designated the Galapagos Biosphere Reserve to protect these treasures of biodiversity.


The equator runs through these islands, created over millions of years by volcanos. While sailors, whalers and buccaneers visited, the rocky terrain dissuaded settlers, allowing its swimming iguanas, flightless penguins, giant tortoises, rainbowcoloured crabs, etc., to roam fearlessly.



In 1835, Charles Darwin arrived. In his ‘Voyage of the Beagle’, the naturalist described the Galapagos’ topography (‘a broken field of black basaltic lava’ on Chatham Island to the ‘green and thriving vegetation’ of Charles Island) as ‘possessing a wide range of character’, each island showing differences in similar finches, reptiles and plants. This diversity intrigued Darwin, who then argued that instead of being created as unchanging, species kept adapting to new conditions.

‘Evolution’ was a revolution for it presented life scientifically, freeing minds from irrationality. In 1959, Ecuador established a national park across 97% of the Galapagos — but its lovingly protected species now face climate change, rising sea temperatures, El Nino droughts and dryer winds impacting Galapagos penguins, seals, etc. Once, these animals lived sheltered in their Eden, free of humanity. Today, as they face major human impacts, Darwin’s thoughts echo, ‘What havoc the introduction of any new beast of prey causes in a country…’



However, as Times Evoke’s global experts emphasise, the Galapagos can be saved through multiple methods, including utilising its evolutionary history and backing conservation efforts. The UN’s SDGs support these and so should we, for the Galapagos are symbols of life on Earth being much greater than our daily existence. The Galapagos — which sees exactly 12 hours each of sunlight and enigmatic stars — is both question and answer to why we are here and how we should live. Join Times Evoke in exploring the Galapagos — and that treasure island deep within you.