History

History

The Galapagos has a history filled with visits from clergy, explorers, pirates, convicts, whalers, naturalists, and artists. Those who first discovered the islands found them to be virtually uninhabitable. The islands lacked adequate supplies of freshwater and were surrounded by dangerous currents. But this did not discourage pirates who used the islands as hide-outs. Later, whaling outposts and penal colonies came and went from the islands. One of history's most famous visits to the Galapagos was made in 1835, when the HMS Beagle brought Charles Darwin to the islands. It was this visit and his studies of the native flora and fauna that played an instrumental part in the formation of his theory of natural selection. Finally, extensive protection was laid down for the islands, establishing them as a national park, World Heritage Site, and Biosphere Reserve.

The following are some key dates in the history of the Galapagos:

• 1535 - Founded by Spaniard, Fray Tomas de Barianga, Bishop of Panama and his party. Barianga was en route to Peru when his ship was blown off course and they stumbled upon the Galapagos.
• 1790s - Several scientific voyages to the Galapagos Islands were made during this decade.
• 1832 - Ecuador annexed the Galapagos Islands.
• 1835 - The HMS Beagle under the command of captain Robert FitzRoy brought Charles Darwin to the islands where he studied the natural history of the islands, its flora, and its animal inhabitans.
• 1959 - The islands were given National Park designation.
• 1968 - The Galapagos National Park was established with the aim to preserve the archipelago's biodiversity. Today, 97% of the land area is protected.
• 1979 - The Galapagos Islands were made a World Heritage Site.
• 1985 - The Galapagos Islands were made a Biosphere Reserve.

Sources

For a list of sources used in the creation of this visual guide, please see the Recommended Reading page.