When humans and nature go head to head, nature often ends up losing. Rivers get polluted. Trees are knocked down. Natural resources are exhausted. That's what makes the Galapagos Islands so special--it's one of he few places on the Earth that nature can truly call its own. For people used to having wild animals run at the scent of humans, a visit to the Galapagos is a real eye-opening experience. Over 1,600 km west of Ecuador, the islands are home to a unique variety of animals that have absolutely no fear of people. Visitors can play on the beach with sea lions and giant sea turtles, swim with dolphins and whales, and get close enough to the penguins to count the eggs in their nests. The islands were declared a national park over 40 years ago, and the number of human visitors is tightly limited to avoid damaging he environment or putting stress on the animal. Tourists have to pay a $100 daily visitors fee, and can't step off the boat unless accompanied  by an official guide. Once on the islands, you have to stay on the trail , but that seldom presents a problem: the animals are so curious about people that they'll usually come up to say hello. "It's a little like being in a zoo," said one traveler. "But instead of us looking at the animals, the animals, the animals are looking at us." Aside from the wildlife, one of the island' more unusual features is its post office. You can send postcards for free, but the problem is that there's no postman to collect them. Instead, travelers pick up mail addressed to people who live near them back home, and then hand-deliver the postcards when their trip is finished. On the Galapagos Islands the mail is delivered by  _  .
the government the post office the tourists the guides