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On January 16, 2001 an oil tanker ran aground a kilometer off the shore of San Cristobal, one of the Galapagos Islands, spilling a large quantity of crude oil into the surrounding sea. The Galapagos are home to over 5000 species of wildlife, 40% of which are indigenous. They are a rich repository of some of the most rare ecosystems in the world. Surveys by relief workers did not report widespread, serious damage immediately following the incident, but it will take several months before investigations reveal potential long term effects. The accident has inspired a movement to strengthen conservation management in the region, and the World Wildlife Foundation and the Charles Darwin Foundation continue to ask for support. |
South Asia Floods
