Galapagos Islands in danger

The World Heritage Committee has placed the Galapagos Islands on its lists of World Heritage sites at risk.

With annual visitor numbers having doubled since 1996, invasive plant species have threatened the natural habitat of the islands.

A joint monitoring mission by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and UNESCO in April 2007 revealed the damage of increased tourism, with 180 of the 500 plant species native to the islands now on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Immigration was found to increase by four per cent every year, threatening the integrity and wildlife of the Pacific islands.

David Sheppard from IUCN explained the placing of the Galapagos Island on the danger list.

"The main problems associated with the Galapagos Islands relate to the impact of tourism growth," he said, "which is driving immigration and overfishing.

"Adding the islands to the danger list is a positive way of raising the profile of these threats and highlighting the need for international action."

Charles Darwin's Origin of Species was inspired by a visit to the islands in 1835.