Galapagos National Park
In 1959, the Ecuadorian government set aside 1,714,000 acres (693,700
ha), 90% of the Galapagos Islands as a National Park. All the lands not already
included in the settlement areas were designated and incorporated into the park.
In 1967 a park service was set
up in the islands and 5 years later the first park superintendent arrived.
The Galapagos National Park Service works hand in hand with the Charles
Darwin Research Station implementing their common goals of conservation
and preservations of the natural resources with the Galapagos National Park and Galapagos Marine Reserve.
The park service approves all itineraries of boats visiting the islands making sure that
the tourism is distributed evenly throughout the islands. They also work as the
licensing board for guides
in the islands.
Park
rules and regulations have been developed in an effort to protect the
area resources. Rather than patrol boats for enforcement, the park utilizes certified guide who
accompanies all visitors enforcing rules through education.
Galapagos National Park Rules
The Galapagos Islands are one of the most magical places on earth. Here animals live
without fear and do not run away from visitors. To maintain the uniqueness of the
Galapagos Islands the National Park Service has developed rules to aid in the
preservation. Your naturalist-guide will explain and enforce these rules making
sure that all visitors stay together on marked paths and respect the follow the other park
service regulations.
- No plant, animal, or remains of such (including shells, bones, and pieces of wood),
or other natural objects should not be removed or disturbed.
- Be careful not to transport any live material to the islands, or from island to island.
- Do not take any food to the uninhabited islands, for the same reason.
- Do not touch or handle the animals.
- Do not feed the animals. It can be dangerous to you, and in the long run would destroy
the animals' social structure and breeding habits.
- Do not startle or chase any animal from its resting or nesting spot.
- Stay within the areas designated as visiting sites.
- Do not leave any litter on the islands, or throw any off your boat.
- Do not deface the rocks.
- Do not buy souvenirs or objects made of plants or animals from the islands.
- Do not visit the islands unless accompanied by a licensed National Park Guide.
- Restrict your visits to officially approved areas.
- Show your conservationist attitude.
Galapagos Marine Reserve
Found at the confluence of warm and cold surface currents and deep cold upwelling
waters, the waters surrounding the Galapagos Islands are home to a fascinating ecological
system. These waters were unprotected until recently and became vulnerable to the
pressures of increased human presence, fishing and tourism.
Marine life in the Galapagos waters is closely related to the life on the
islands. Island animals depend on the ocean. Birds and animals existing
near the water has a variety of distinctive habitats and endemic species including
the world's only sea-going lizard, the Marine Iguana.
Other notable wildlife includes the Sea
Lion, Fur Seal, Galapagos
Penguin, Flightless Cormorant, Waved Albatross, Lava Gull and
Swallow-Tailed Gull.
The waters surrounding the Galapagos are home to 3000 species of marine plants and
animals. Diving in the Galapagos is quickly expanding; divers seek the experience of
spectacular marine life including Whale Sharks, Galapagos Sharks, Hammerheads, Manta Rays
and Leopard Rays.
In the past few years fishing in the Galapagos has boomed. Fishermen come with
lines and nets hunting for tuna. Divers seek lobsters and sea cucumbers. During the
1990's fishing for sea cucumber to supply the Asian market greatly depleted that
resource. Now even though illegal the fishing continues. Another lucrative and
controversial practice is fishing for shark fins. These fishermen hunt the sharks
merely for their fins, leaving the rest of the animal. This depletes the area
of this important predator and the attraction of divers.
In 1992 a management plan was created for the Galapagos Marine Reserve, but
due to lack of organization and involvement it went basically ignored. In 1997
renewed effort have brought about dramatic changes to the preserving the marine
environment. All of the local sectors (fishing, tourism and conservation) have been
brought together to negotiate protecting these resources. Finally in 1998 The Galapagos
Marine Reserve was created. Designed to protect the waters surrounding the
Galapagos Islands and the resources they contain. The Galapagos Marine Reserve Law provides for the following:
- The incorporation of the Marine Reserve into the National System of Protected Areas
- The Marine Reserve area is increased from 15 - 40 miles (24-64 km) from the base line
- The Galapagos National Park Service is established as the authority in charge of administration, management and control of the marine reserve, as well as coordinating
control with the Fisheries Ministry and the Navy.
- Establishing a multi-sector management board consisting of the Galapagos National Park Service and the users of the Galapagos Marine Reserve.
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 Naturalist Guides
Whether you charter a boat or bring your own, all visitors to the Galapagos
National Park are required to travel with a Certified guide. These
naturalist guides are trained in conservation and natural sciences by the Charles
Darwin Foundation and licensed by the Galapagos National Park
Service. The guides work as the first line of defense protecting the park's
natural resources through education. They accompany visitors ashore interpreting
the natural
wonders of the islands while enforcing the park
rules and regulations.
The guides have become the eyes and ears of both National Park Service
and Darwin Station. They are out everyday in every area of the
archipelago the guides are among the first to observe fires, eruptions, and introduced
animals. Galapagos guides have also been responsible for identifying Iguanas
and Tortoises
in areas where they were thought to be extinct.
Traditional top-level guides held a Class III license. These
international guides held a university degree in the natural sciences, were fluent in
English, trained at the Darwin Station and Certified. Most of the Luxury Boats
and First Class Boats offer Class III guides where as moderate and budget
boats offer a new generation of bilingual national Class II
guide who have received training at the National Park by the Charles Darwin Research
Station.
Special interest trips including Photography and Birding often have a
tour leader accompanying the guide. Tour Leaders are not necessarily trained at the
Darwin Station nor holders of an appropriate license. Instead they are experts in the
field and have come to the Galapagos to hold a seminar or seminars on their subject of
expertise.
Trips featuring dive itineraries have dive guides. These guides hold both
a Galapagos Guide License and a separate Dive License. Many of the boats that take diving
seriously will have a dive leader on board as well. This person may not have the
Galapagos Guide License, but often has had much more experience running dive trips abroad,
often in the Caribbean.
National Park Entrance Fee
 A National Park Entrance Fee is required from all visitors entering
the Galapagos National Park and/or Galapagos Marine Reserve. The
park fee payable in US Dollars may be paid at the airport upon arrival in the Galapagos
Islands or can be pre-paid by arrangement with your tour operator. A remit
granting access to the National Park and Marine Reserve is given as a receipt.
Park Fees are distributed as follows:
The park permit is submitted to National Park Officials at the point
of entry (normally at the Baltra or San Cristobal airport), where it is
processed and recorded. It is imperative to retain the permit and
have it available at the time of entrance. Persons not having a permit
for any reason, including misplaced permits, will be required to
purchase a new permit to enter the National Park.
| Foreign
Tourists non-residents of Ecuador over 12 years of age. |
$100 |
| Foreign
Tourists non-residents of Ecuador under 12 years of age. |
$50 |
| Foreign
Tourists non-residents of Ecuador over 12 years of age.
Nationals of one of the countries participating in the Andean
Community of Nations or Mercosur. |
$50 |
| Foreign
Tourists non-residents of Ecuador under 12 years of age.
Nationals of one of the countries participating in the Andean
Community of Nations or Mercosur. |
$25 |
| National
Tourists or Foreign Residents of Ecuador over 12 years of age |
$6 |
| National
Tourists or Foreign Residents of Ecuador under 12 years of age |
$3 |
| Tourists
non-resident foreign students registered at one of the National
Universities of Ecuador. |
$25 |
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