Page 138 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

Case Study 6

The Galapagos Islands

Volcanoes and Wildlife

Malcolm Cooper Carnegie, Cocos and Malpelso, which are on two
tectonic plates (Harpp et al, 2004). The hotspot is
Introduction located near the Equator on the Nazca Plate near
its boundary with the Cocos Plate. The tectonic
The Galapagos Islands are located in the Pacific setting of this hotspot is complicated by the
Ocean 972km off the coast of Ecuador. The Galapagos Triple Junction of the Nazca and Cocos
isolation of the islands has permitted life forms to plates with the Pacific Plate (Hey et al, 1972). The
evolve into species found only here, amongst the movement of these plates over the hotspot is
volcanic landscapes. Today the Galapagos Islands therefore determined not solely by the spreading
are a national park and wildlife sanctuary world along the ridge but also by the relative motion
heritage site. The Galapagos Archipelago consists between the Pacific Plate and the Cocos and
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of 7880km of land spread over 45,000km of Nazca plates (Harpp et al, 2002).
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ocean in 13 main islands, 6 smaller islands and 107 Generally, the individual islands have formed
rocks and islets. The largest of the islands, Isabela from single shield volcano eruptions. However,
measures 4640km and makes up half of the total the largest island Isabela is made up of six
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land area of the Galapagos. Wolf volcano on volcanoes which have flowed into each other,
Isabela is the highest point with an elevation of filling the gaps between them. The islands have
1707m above sea level.
continuously erupted during the last 200 years,
Geophysical aspects and with the last eruption being in 2009 on
history of activity Fernandina.

The major volcanic islands of the archipelago are: Risk factors
Genovesa (lava fields); Bartolomé (lava); Isabela The Galapagos volcanoes remain fairly isolated,
(five active volcanoes); Fernandina (recent but are increasingly the target of migration from
volcanism); Santiago (basalt lava shoreline); Santa the mainland. While active (Wolf volcano has
Cruz (lava tubes and the Charles Darwin Research erupted ten times since 1797) they are less of a
Centre); San Christobal (cinder cone, island capital threat to visitors, who can stay away while still
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno); Floreana (small experiencing the unique flora and fauna of the
volcanic cones). Initially formed between three islands. Absolute risk factors for tourism are the six
million and five million years ago, the Galapagos active volcanoes themselves, the nature of the
Islands are located over a hotspot in the East Pacific resulting land surface (lava flows, few points of
Ocean responsible for the creation of the Islands easy access), overpopulation from approved and
as well as three major aseismic ridge systems, illegal migrants (the ‘permanent’ population has

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