Everyone knows that the Galapagos Islands are a pristine haven for wildlife. These remote islands have been their own ecosystem for millennia and many of the Galapagos species are endemic, or not found anywhere else in the world. But the Galapagos Islands were discovered by man in the sixteenth century and colonized in the nineteenth. The hardy men and women who came to Galapagos brought domestic animals and plants with them, and these often competed with native species. Today, unfortunately, there are several Galapagos bird species that are considered at very high risk for extinction. Here are some and what is being done to protect them.

It seems that everywhere you go in the Galapagos Islands, you see a postcard-perfect view in all directions. The Galapagos Islands are beautiful (not for nothing are they a finalist for the New Seven Wonders of the World Competition!), and white-sand beaches, underwater wonderlands and lush highlands are just part of the package. The most-photographed of all of these Galapagos postcard views is without a doubt the view from the top of Bartholomew Island. It is in many ways the quintessential Galapagos photograph: smiling visitors, with the unmistakable Pinnacle Rock in the background, all framed against a tranquil Galapagos sea.