![The Future of the Galapagos](/nationalgeographic/trailblazer_october_2019/the_future_of_the_galapagos/466854/title.640_0_1.png)
TheGalápagosIslandshaveevolvedintoaplacefilledwithwondrousplantsandanimals.ManyarefoundnowhereelseonEarth.Forty‑twopercentoftheplants;79percentofmammals;80 percentofbirds;91percentofreptiles;and56percentofinsectsliveonlyontheGalápagos Islands.
Intheirisolation,theislandshavebecomealivinglaboratoryforscientists.Yet,invasivespeciesposegravethreatstotheGalápagos’unique ecosystems.
Weareoneofthosethreats.Today,morethan30,000peopleliveontheislands.Morethan160,000 touristsvisiteveryyear.Ourfootprintleavesamarkonthisplace.TovisittheGalápagosIslandsisaremarkableprivilege.Wearehonor‑boundtobegood stewards.
Whatcanwedo?Wecanprotectvulnerablespeciesandecosystems.Wecanlimittheintroductionofinvasivespecies.Wecanpromoteclimateresearch.Wecanpromotecommunityawareness.Canwedothesethingsalone?No.Itwilltakeallofus,workingtogethertoprotectthisspecial place.
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