Our species took its first steps in a world covered in trees. Today, forests offer us sustenance, shelter, and clean the air that we breathe.
The Galapagos Islands create a new marine sanctuary to protect sharks
A new marine reserve aimed to protect the precious biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands. This is the latest decision made by Ecuador to safeguard the extraordinary wildlife populating the archipelago’s waters. 97 per cent of the Galapagos Islands had been already protected, being a World Heritage Site of UNESCO due to their importance in
A new marine reserve aimed to protect the precious biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands. This is the latest decision made by Ecuador to safeguard the extraordinary wildlife populating the archipelago’s waters.
97 per cent of the Galapagos Islands had been already protected, being a World Heritage Site of UNESCO due to their importance in Darwin’s theory of evolution. However, only 1 per cent of the water around the islands is fully protected. Therefore, the sanctuary will include 21 other protected areas, which will grant the safeguard of 47,000 square kilometres of ocean. The marine reserve will also include the northern islands of Darwin and Wolf, and will protect 1,000 kilometres of coast for a total surface the size of Belgium. By doing so, 32 per cent of the Galapagos Islands’ waters will finally be protected.
The Galapagos Islands’ marine areas have recently faced significant threats, including illegal fishing and searches for oil. Ecuadorean government’s new decision will avoid the archipelago’s water to be at risk again.
According to National Geographic, fish biomass is extraordinary: 17.5 tonnes per hectare, i.e. about twice as high as the second highest area known to science, the nearby Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica.
The Galapagos Islands boasts the highest abundance of sharks known in the world, being home to 34 species of sharks, including the world’s largest ones.
The creation of the marine sanctuary not only will represent a safeguard for Ecuador’s environmental heritage, but also a precious economic resource. According to data released by the University of California, the life of each shark is worth 5.4 million dollars for the tourism industry, while a dead shark is worth up to only 200 dollars for fishermen. The project has been realised also thanks to the National Geographic Foundation, which cooperated with local organisations and fishermen. The new marine reserve is thus a winning solution for the government, fishermen, and the environment.
Siamo anche su WhatsApp. Segui il canale ufficiale LifeGate per restare aggiornata, aggiornato sulle ultime notizie e sulle nostre attività.
Quest'opera è distribuita con Licenza Creative Commons Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Non opere derivate 4.0 Internazionale.
Poachers in Africa are encroaching on wildlife land and killing rhinos in travel hot spots now devoid of visitors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio has contributed two million dollars to a fund to protect Virunga National Park in Congo from threats such as terrorism, the coronavirus and poaching.
For the first time in seventeen years, Iceland’s two main whaling companies won’t resume whale hunting. The announcement concerns this year’s season but could carry into the future.
The relationship between the coronavirus and wildlife is complex: while the pandemic may lead to a reduction in the illegal trade in wild animals, it may also encourage it in other respects.
The largest coral reef in the world is severely threatened by climate change, but researchers are developing strategies that could contribute to saving the Great Barrier Reef.
NGO Free the Bears has opened a mountain sanctuary for moon bears in Laos. With the government’s help, it aims to close all bile farms by 2022.
Seychelles have extended its marine protected area, which now covers over 400,000 square kilometres, an area larger than Germany.
The tapir was reintroduced into Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, the country’s most at-risk ecosystem. The species can play a key role in the forest’s recovery.