From Conservapediaarchipelago of 17 volcanic islands, situated
in the Pacific Ocean 600 miles to the west of Ecuador. They are
noted for their unique animal and bird life which led the
naturalist Charles Darwin to formulate his Theory of Natural
Selection. The name Galápagos derives from the Spanish word for
saddle, as the shape of some of the indigenous species of
tortoise resembled a saddle. The official name of the islands is
Archipiélago de Colón but even official government documents
refer to them as the Galapagos Islands. Their remote location
meant that the islands had few visitors and almost all of the
animals exhibit no natural fear of man. However, a rising
population, the presence of feral pigs and goats, and the
pressures of mass tourism have begun to threaten the existence
of some species. On April 10, 2007 Rafael Correa Delgado the
President of Ecuador issued an emergency decree calling for
sustainable development. 30,000 people live in the archipelago
on 4 of the islands. Most of these are fish