Flora
220
types
of
endemic
plant
species,
339
native
species
and
119
introduced
species
have
been
identified
on
the
Islands
.
Flora
was
transported
by
wind,
sea,
man
or
rather
by
birds
which
emigrated
from
the
continent
carrying
seeds
and
pollen
in
their
feathers,
claws
and
beaks.
These
as
a
result
germinated
and
modified
themselves
over
time
as
a
result
of
acclimatisation.
Due
to
the
flora’s
ability
to
adapt
some
of
these
species
cannot
be
found
anywhere
else
in
the
world.
Many,
however,
are
similar
to
those
on
the
American
continent.
Fauna
Great
scientific
and
tourist
interest
in
the
Islands
on
an
international
level
is
partly
due
to
do
with
the
fact
that
it’s
so
easy
to
observe
a
diverse
range
of
mammals
and
animals,
including
the
giant
tortoise
of
which
exist
only
eleven
of
fourteen
different
original
subspecies.
Other
typical
animals
include
the
blue-footed
booby,
frigate
birds
and
iguanas.
Mammals
originating
on
the
Islands
include
four
endemic
rodent
species
and
two
bat
species;
there
are
no
amphibians
on
the
Galapagos
Islands
.
The
remaining
terrestrial
fauna,
such
as
goats,
pigs,
horses,
cows,
dogs,
cats
and
rodents
have
been
brought
over
from
the
continent
by
pirates,
whaling
boats
and
colonisers
over
the
last
few
centuries.
Control
de
Especies
Introducidas
(Control
of
Introduced
Species)
The
problems
caused
by
the
introduction
of
foreign
organisms
to
the
area
have
provoked
the
Galapagos
National
Park
Service
to
implement
hunting
and
culling
programs.
In
recent
years
particular
emphasis
has
been
put
on
the
culling
of
pigs
in
Isla
Santiago
and
on
rats
and
cats
in
the
upper
sector
of
some
inhabited
islands
in
order
to
protect
bird
colonies
inhabiting
the
areas.
Since
1994
special
efforts
have
been
made
in
order
to
control
the
introduction
of
new
organisms
with
the
participation
of
the
Secretary
of
Agriculture,
the
Galapagos
Ministry
of
Provincial
Agriculture,
the
Charles
Darwin
Foundation
and
INEFAN
through
the
domain
‘Special
Health
and
Agricultural
Reputation
for
the
Galapagos
Islands
’.
The
regulations
include
establishing
norms
for
the
administering
of
vaccinations,
the
control
of
the
use
of
pesticides
and
other
types
of
biological
material
brought
from
the
continent
to
the
Islands
.
For
the
first
time,
the
authorities
are
obliged
to
exercise
rigorous
control
at
ports,
and
arrival
and
departure
terminals
at
airports
and
sea
ports.
In
conjunction
with
the
Charles
Darwin
Research
Station,
the
SPNG
is
also
carrying
out
a
Program
for
the
Protection
of
Endangered
Native
Species,
which
includes
work
in
the
field
and
attempts
to
increase
the
number
of
tortoise
and
iguana
breeding
centres.
Moreover,
the
program
is
placing
particular
emphasis
on
the
bird
species
petrel
pata
pegada
and
three
species
of
scalesia,
a
floral
species
endemic
to
the
Islands
.
The
Program
was
started
in
1965.
Among
its
biggest
successes
are
the
recovery
of
the
tortoise
population
on
Islands
Espanola
and
Pinzon
and
the
increase
in
numbers
of
the
petrel
colonies
in
Floreana,
Santiago
and
Santa
Cruz
.
Last
Updated
24th
July
2006
(DLW)
